State Academic Standards - Your Education Policy Team

State Academic Standards

Standard-setting Processes

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State standard-setting processes in brief

By Jennifer Thomsen December 2014

Concerns about academic standards, whether created by states from scratch or adopted by states under the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) banner, have drawn widespread media attention and are at the top of many state policymakers' priority lists. Recently, a number of legislatures have required additional steps, such as waiting periods for public comment, that state education leaders must follow, and ECS anticipates that the 2015 sessions will see continued debate on this issue.

This brief describes state standard-setting processes and provides profiles of eight states' standardsetting and review processes, as well as the measures used by those states to validate their standards. Don't miss Appendix A. It provides historical context around standard setting and the evolution of state standards.

Key takeaways on standard-setting processes

States use a variety of processes to adopt standards, including appointing standards review committees or commissions. In Indiana, the academic standards committee submits recommendations to the education roundtable, a permanent working group, which then makes recommendations to the state board.

Many states are required by state law or education department regulation to periodically review the standards. The review cycle varies from state to state. In North Carolina, the Standard Course of Study is reviewed on a staggered five-year cycle. Virginia reviews its Standards of Quality every two years.

More states are adopting procedures that allow for broader input into the standards review process. In Massachusetts, the state board appointed a 40-member commission that gathered input at public meetings, workplaces and in homes. In addition, they developed a video and brochure and widely distributed drafts of the standards for public comment.

Standards are validated by various means, including contracted national experts, validation committees, input from K-12 and postsecondary educators and comparison to CCSS. Texas contracted with the Educational Policy Improvement Center (EPIC) to assess whether the state's college and career standards were aligned with entry-level courses at Texas postsecondary institutions.

The profiled states ? Indiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas and Virginia ? were chosen to illustrate the differing approaches taken in establishing, reviewing and validating standards. Differences in the amount of expert and public input gathered by states during the review process is of particular interest as states seek to address concerns about adoption (or not) of the CCSS.

Standard-setting authority

State legislatures are ultimately responsible for establishing academic standards in nearly all states. Most legislatures then task state boards of education or departments of education with adopting and implementing the standards. However, following concerns surrounding the CCSS, some legislatures are strengthening their hands by adopting legislation creating new steps in the process, such as waiting periods for public comment, and some have gone so far as to prohibit the adoption of the CCSS.

Review processes and cycles

Where we've been, and where we are going

Nearly every state has had some level of academic standards in place since the late 1990s. (See Appendix A for more on the evolution of standards.)

Under the No Child Left Behind Act, all states are required to have standards in the core content areas.

Many states are required by state law or education

The initial 2010 adoption (or not)

department regulation to periodically review the standards. States use a variety of processes, including appointing standards review committees or commissions, gathering public input and seeking input from state education department staff, outside experts, school district leaders and teachers. Public input, in particular, has emerged as a key consideration for policymakers looking to address concerns

of CCSS created a nationwide focus on more rigorous standards, standards that have been independently benchmarked and evaluated with the goal of ensuring that graduates are college- and career-ready.

about their state's adoption (or not) of the CCSS.

Standard-setting processes

The review cycle varies from state to state. Some states review standards on a set, staggered schedule. Others review on an as-needed basis.

matter now because the CCSS have been top of mind. While 45 states and the District of Columbia initially adopted the

standards in both English and

In response to concerns about the CCSS, a number of state

math, a number of states have

legislatures have mandated out-of-cycle reviews. In addition, some have adopted procedures that allow for broader input

been changing course in one way or another.

into the review process, such as public testimony and parent and teacher input.

At least nine governors have recently issued executive orders

pertaining to state standards;

Validity

one order was an action ? in Louisiana ? to attempt to exit the

In response to the discussion and debate around the quality

CCSS.

of states' standards, not to mention the CCSS, many states have adopted measures aimed at evaluating the standards' rigor and alignment with career and college readiness measures. Some states have contracted with outside

Two states ? Indiana and Oklahoma ? passed legislation to exit the CCSS; four states are reviewing and potentially

consultants, while others have used panels of local or

repealing the standards ?

national experts or review of student performance on

Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio

assessments such as NAEP, TIMSS, SAT or ACT for proof of

and South Carolina.

validity. In addition, a number of states have compared their

standards to the CCSS, citing alignment as validation. The

CCSS were declared valid in 2010 after a review by a validation committee convened by the National

Governors' Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers.

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Common obstacles to setting and updating standards

Resistance to change. Inconsistent laws. Confusion over goals. Political shifts. Complexity over communication. Quantity of information. Disconnect between what parents want

and what education reformers want.

Lessons Learned

Involve the public in making standards decisions. Develop a comprehensive communications

strategy. Involve teachers from the beginning. Insist that standards apply to all students. Allow adequate time to develop rigorous

standards. Align standards to other state policies and

reforms. Provide support for districts implementing

standards.

Related reports

States and the (not so) new standards -- where are they now? (September 2014) captures a snapshot of where states stand in regard to the CCSS, providing a sampling of state legislative and executive branch activity on the standards.

50 Ways to Test: A look at state summative assessments in 2014-15 (November 2014) provides a highlevel overview of the two testing consortia and federal testing requirements, and then provides a snapshot of what assessments are planned in each of the 50 states and Washington, D.C., during the 2014-15 academic year.

State profiles

The following profiles detail the processes used by eight states in setting, reviewing and validating the rigor of their standards. The profiled states ? Indiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas and Virginia ? were chosen to illustrate the differing approaches taken. Differences in the amount of expert and public input gathered by states during the review process is of particular interest as states seek to address concerns about adoption (or not) of the CCSS.

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Background and standard-setting authority

Statutory/legislative authority: H.B. 1427 (2013); S.B. 91 (2014); IND. CODE ? 20-31-3-1 through 20-31-3-7 and ? 20-19-4-1 through 20-19-4-13.

The state board has authority to adopt "clear, concise, and jargon-free academic standards" (IND. CODE ? 20-31-3-1). The academic standards committee, a temporary body, submits recommendations to the education roundtable, a permanent working group, which then submits recommendations to the state board.

Indiana initially adopted the CCSS in 2010 and was among the first to do so. Following 2013 legislation requiring a pause in implementation and review of the CCSS (H.B. 1427, 2013), in 2014 the legislature formally exited the CCSS and directed the state to adopt new academic standards (S.B. 91). The Indiana Academic Standards were adopted in April 2014.

By statute (IND. CODE ? 20-19-2-14.5), the state's academic standards must do the following: o Meet national and international benchmarks for college and career readiness standards and be aligned with postsecondary educational expectations. o Use the highest standards in the United States. o Comply with federal standards to receive a flexibility waiver. o Prepare Indiana students for college and career success, including the proper preparation for nationally recognized college entrance examinations such as the ACT and SAT.

Review process

Academic standards are revised and updated at least once every six years (IND. CODE ? 20-31-3-3). Two bodies are involved in the process, but the state board is ultimately responsible for the state academic standards.

The academic standards committee is convened only during the standards review process and makes recommendations to the education roundtable. The committee members are appointed by the superintendent and include subject area teachers and parents.

The education roundtable is a permanent working group co-chaired by the governor and superintendent and includes appointed business and community leaders and representatives from elementary and secondary education. The roundtable takes recommendations from the academic standards committee and makes recommendations to the state board.

2014 Standards Review The review process for the new standards, adopted in 2014, included four phases with various participants during each phase.

Phase 1: Evaluation/technical review committee created the first draft and included English language arts and mathematics educators, curriculum review directors and higher education content experts. The process was facilitated by an education consulting group. Public comment was specifically sought on the first draft through public meetings and an online portal.

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 Phase 2: Advisory committee included educators, higher education representatives and community members. Using the work from Phase 1, they created a new draft and sent it to national experts.

Phase 3: College- and career-ready panel included higher education, career and business community representatives. Again, they created another draft using work from Phases 1 and 2.

Phase 4: Final draft evaluation and submission to the education roundtable and state board for review and approval. Public comment was specifically sought during Phase 1 on the first draft of standards via an online portal and public meetings, but public comment was taken during each phase.

Validity

Validation measures specified by the 2014 standards review process: Facilitation and consultation by WestEd while the panel created the first standards draft during Phase 1. Local and national experts, including representatives from higher education institutions, asked to provide input on the first draft. Six contracted national experts served as evaluators and reviewed a draft. Public comment.

Sources

Indiana Academic Standards Evaluation Process and Timeline, April 13, 2014. Indiana Academic Standards Evaluation Status Update, March 24, 2014. Standards Evaluation Process, February 2014. 2014 Standards Evaluation Process, State Board of Education. Indiana's Academic Standards website, Indiana Department of Education. New standards Q&A, Indiana Department of Education. Summary of National Evaluator Input Into Draft #2 of the Indiana Academic Standards, March 14, 2014.

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