Webinar: Pairing the Promise of New Standards with Better Tests: What Should Funders Anticipate?

Assessments are a critical, complex and, in some instances, hotly contested, component of Common Core implementation. Accurate information about the status of the new assessments can be difficult to come by—as can straightforward perspectives on where states and districts are struggling and need assistance in the transition.

With the Common Core State Standards’ emphasis on writing, thinking, and problem-solving, multiple choice and fill-in-the-blank assessments just won’t cut it anymore. As we raise the bar for what learners should know and be able to do, we need better ways to measure whether students are meeting that bar. With most states planning to use next-generation tests from the PARCC or Smarter Balanced state consortia this school year, this GFE webinar will brief funders on what to expect from new assessments, what will be different, and how they can help.  The webinar also will be a chance to take stock of the political climate and debates over the Common Core standards and the future of the consortia.

Join this program featuring presentations from Laura Slover, CEO of PARCC and Jacqueline King, Director of Higher Education Collaboration for Smarter Balanced, and a moderated conversation, hosted by Joanne Weiss with the Schusterman Family Foundation, about implications and ideas for funders.

This webinar is a part of our series highlighting key information and lessons for funders on Common Core implementation.