Chicago Public Schools announced the list Monday of the schools that will be the first to teach and test to the common core standards, a set of standards adopted by more than 40 states and seen to be more rigorous than the current state standards.
By 2014, Illinois will roll out a new assessment called PARCC to all schools. The PARCC, however, is still in development. For now, the schools will be using a quarterly assessment called the CCSS that is alligned to the common core.
CPS is spending $600,000 on this pilot project. The 35 schools will not be given any extra money, but teachers will be freed up to go to professional development and their input will be taken into consideration when the common core is implemented at scale. The money will also pay for curriculum and consulting costs.
The following schools were chosen: George Armstrong, Barton, Brighton Park, Camras, Canter, Carter, Chalmers, Cooper, Dumas, Evergreen, Hernandez, Higgins, Hitch, Logandale, Madero, Mann, McClellan, Melody, Mitchell, Peterson, Ryder, Schubert and Tonti Elementary Schools, Amundsen, Chicago Military Academy, Clark, Clemente, Farragut, Foreman, Harper, Juarez, Lincoln Park, Multicultural, Senn and Taft High Schools.
Another 25 schools will be able to send their lead teachers to professional development and are being called support schools. They are: Addams, Ames, Armour, Azuela, Colemon, Gallistel, Grissom, Hedges, Henderson, Herzl, Kershaw, Libby, Northwest, O.A. Thorp, Perez, Rogers, Skinner North, Walsh, and Williams Middle School.
Corliss, Daniel Hale Williams, Hirsch, Rickover, Robeson and Sullivan High Schools.
Also, today Catalyst-Chicago is announcing the annual policy breakfast series. This year, the series will focus on the Common Core Standards and will feature Chief Education Officer Noemi Donoso, as well as state and national leaders on the new standards. To reserve your spot, click here: http://catalyst-chicago.org/overview/