Common Core Overview

Common Core is a set of standards.

Common Core sets the bar for what all students need to know each year to be on track for college and career readiness. 

It is not a curriculum.

It is not a textbook.

It is not a method of teaching.

Common Core does not dictate how to meet the needs of students in the classroom.

Common Core standards spell out expectations of what students should know and be able to do at the end of every grade, from kindergarten through high school.

The standards cover reading, writing, speaking and listening, vocabulary and mathematics. They are brief and deal with fundamentals.

 

Note for Parents

For many homeschooling families, the transition to how people approach and respond to the Common Core standards is not a major change from previous practices as we were already intuitively teaching in this way. 

Your Teacher-Advisor is an effective resource for families as they can provide guidance on the most effective teaching strategies during regular parent/teacher meetings. Parents and students, you certainly do not have to navigate the curriculum all on your own. We are here to help!

MDUSD's Instructional Support has links to websites that explore in detail the California State Standards. For a full listing of California State Standards, visit the web page listed below for more information.

 

The National Parent Teacher Association has Parent Guides that outlines how the standards are applied for each grade level. These guides provide an easy way for families to learn the standards.