Implementation Planning Tools

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  • Achieve and the U.S. Education Delivery Institute have developed a practical Common Core Implementation Workbook for all states. The workbook uses a proven performance management methodology known as "delivery" to lay out clear action steps for states and districts. It provides relevant information, case stories of good practice, key questions and hands-on exercises for leadership teams to complete together.
  • Achieve, in partnership with Education First, the Aspen Institute, and the Insight Education Group developed a resource for state legislators to help them understand the Common Core State Standards and their role in supporting the implementation of the CCSS and related policies. The paper includes background and key questions that need to be addressed by state legislators on the issues of curriuclum and instructional materials, assessment, teacher professional learning, teacher preparation, and teacher and principal effectiveness regarding oversight, authorization, and appropriation.
  • To assist states in gauging the strength of their implementation plans and to illustrate how to improve them, Education First and Achieve have partnered on the development of a new Common Core State Standards Implementation Rubric and Self-Assessment Tool. This tool sets a high quality standard for a strong state role, provides some concrete details and examples to help state leaders get there and profiles some promising state approaches. Recognizing differences in state tradition, restrictions and authority for education as well as the central role of districts and other partners in implementation, the rubric identifies a strong state role that attends to three essential outcomes: accountability for results, quality of services and products, and alignment of services and products with the expectations articulated in the CCSS.
  • Achieve, Education First and EDI have released a Common Core Survey Tool along with supporting materials (including guidance), to help state and district leaders track the quality of implementation of the new standards. The survey tool's item bank includes questions tailored to teachers and school leaders. State leaders can use the item bank as a base for creating customized surveys to determine how implementation of Common Core State Standards is playing out in classrooms; whether key messages are being heard; which instructional shifts are happening and their impact on student learning; and how they can identify roadblocks early and craft targeted interventions. Related webinar slides.
  • Achieve has developed a guide for states and districts to use as they move from adoption to implementation of the CCSS – On the Road to Implementation – Achieving the Promise of the Common Core State Standards. To realize the full potential of the CCSS and ensure the new standards actually reach the classroom level, states will need to think through a number of critical issues including: how to integrate the new standards into your state’s broader college- and career-ready agenda, including graduation requirements, assessments, and accountability, and how to best communicate about the new standards to key stakeholders.