Leadership magazine Nov/Dec 2015 V45 No 2 | Page 16

Defining
expectations
and resources for
California standards
ELA/ELD and math
frameworks ensure
an instructional shift
away from “teaching
to the test” to teaching
to the highest levels
of critical thinking
and application of
knowledge.
16

Leadership

“All California students of the 21st century
will attain the highest level of academic knowledge, applied learning and performance skills to
ensure fulfilling personal lives and careers and
contribute to civic and economic progress in our
diverse and changing democratic society.”
– State Board of Education, 2012

The California English Language Arts/
English Language Development Framework and Mathematics Framework provide a distinctive and unique vision for the
implementation of the California Standards.
Singular in the nation, California has courageously confronted the question of how
to provide access and equity to all Common
Core State Standards (CCSS) and has addressed this in the state frameworks.
The frameworks are a free guide for educators to reference, not only addressing how

the CCSS and English Language Development (ELD) Standards are implemented but
also the role of assessment, strategies and
equitable access for all of California’s diverse
learners.
A common misconception in California is
that school and district investment of time
in understanding the new state standards is
synonymous with understanding the frameworks. It is important to understand that the
standards tell us “what” to teach, and the
frameworks tell us “how instruction should
look for the students of California.”
Time invested in learning the Common
Core is a necessary first step, but not sufficient. The frameworks not only provide
adult learning but also specific examples of
classroom application.
By Angel Barrett and JoAnn Isken