What You Should Know About The New Common Core Math Assessments

The New Common Core Assessments will differ dramatically from the old CSTs in the format as well as in the types of knowledge they test.  They will be taken exclusively on the computer, and students will have to be able to type sentence responses for some parts. This could pose problems for students who type more slowy.

Students will be expected not only to perform arithmetic operations, but also to be expected to analyze and apply their knowledge to solve complex problems.  There will be 5 different types of questions:

Selected Response- involve answering yes/no questions about a specific problem rather than multiple choice. There may be more than one correct answer.

Constructed Response-open answer questions

Extended response- open answer questions that include having the student type an explanation for how they arrived at the answer

Technology enhanced-solving a problem by moving numbers around (click and drag)

Performance task-Long open-ended story problems in which students have to plan and use multiple operations and steps. They may have to draw diagrams and apply their knowledge to solve complex problems. The new assessments ask students to apply concepts from 2 previous grade levels below their current grade level but vary in complexity to reflect the student’s current grade level.

In addition to the differences in the assessments, high school math classes will differ even though their names may stay the same.

Common Core 8^th grade Math- will include Pre-algebra, some high school Geometry and some of Algebra 1A (first semester hs Algebra)

Common Core Algebra 1- will begin with Algebra 1B (second semester Algebra) and do Algebra 2 first semester and some of AP Stats

Common Core Geometry- HS Geometry, Transformational Geometry and some AP Stats

Common Core Algebra 2-Second semester Algebra 2, Trig, Math Analysis,  some Stat AP

These assessments will take some getting used to; however, on a positive note students should be better prepared for college and careers in the global economy. Educators hope that students will be better able to compete with their counterparts around the world.

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