The Common Core State Standards (CCSS), adopted by 46 states and the District of Columbia, are rigorous, research-based, globally benchmarked frameworks that articulate a new set of expectations for students in reading, writing, listening, and speaking, as well as in calculating, reasoning, and solving problems.

Leaders and educators in California school districts have many questions and concerns about making the change to the new practices and systems that the CCSS require.

To help address these questions, the California Comprehensive Center and the Regional Educational Laboratory West at WestEd, the California Collaborative on District Reform at American Institutes for Research, and California Education Partners convened a two-day symposium in August 2012. The purpose of the symposium was to strengthen district and state implementation efforts in California and to foster learning opportunities and collaboration among districts as they transition to the CCSS.

This report, coauthored by WestEd’s Catherine Walcott, stems from that meeting and is organized by the following sections:

  • What Are the CCSS and Why Are They Needed?
  • What Are Districts Doing to Implement the CCSS, and What Can We Learn?
  • Next Steps for CCSS Transition in California
  • Conclusion and Resources