Assessing the Common Core What's Gone Wrong--and How to Get Back on Track

From distinguished educators, this book imagines what our schools could look like if an authentic vision of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) were put in place, and thoughtfully critiques how and why implementation has faltered. The authors outline a curriculum framework that focuses on student-based inquiry and the use of formative assessment to monitor and guide student learning. They provide workable, innovative alternatives to the packaged instructional programs and summative tests that have come to be associated with the English language arts (ELA) standards. Vignettes of diverse schools and districts highlight a range of successful approaches to making the CCSS work.

Robert C. Calfee, PhD, until his death in 2014, was Professor Emeritus of Education at Stanford Graduate School of Education. He was also a former Dean of the Graduate School of Education at the University of California, Riverside. A cognitive psychologist, Dr. Calfee conducted research on the effect of schooling on the intellectual potential of individuals and groups, the assessment of beginning literacy skills, and the broader reach of the school as a literate environment. 

Kathleen M. Wilson, PhD, is Associate Professor Emerita of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. As a founding director of the University’s Schmoker Reading Center, she studies teacher professional development in formative assessment and instruction of children experiencing difficulty with literacy acquisition. Most recently, Dr. Wilson has been exploring teachers’ integration of digital technologies into literacy instruction.

1. The State of American Classrooms in 2024: Snapshots of a Possible Future
2. No Child Left Untested: The Unrests of 2010
3. The Common Core Standards: A New Vision for American Schools
4. Implementing the Standards, Part I: Current Directions and Misdirections
5. Implementing the Standards, Part II: A Curriculum Framework for Success
6. Moving toward the Common Core Vision: Big Shifts and Bright Spots
Appendix A. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects: Grades K–5
Appendix B. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects: Grades 6–12