All students should be held to the same high expectations outlined in the Common Core Standards. English language learners (ELLs) may require additional time and appropriate instructional supports as they acquire both English language proficiency and content area knowledge. Students with disabilities - students eligible under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) - must be challenged to excel within the general curriculum and be prepared for success in their post-school lives, including college and/or careers. The following documents provide valuable information regarding the application of these standards for special education students and English language learners.

This protocol provides a structure for professional conversations about the Common Core Standards and how they inform teacher decision-making. The protocol can be used by grade level/course teams of teachers and should take about 30 minutes to complete. A link to the Guide for Understanding and Using the Instructional Alignment Chart and an electronic version of the Instructional Alignment Chart is provided. A word version of the CCSS-ELA and CCSS-Math is also provide to facilitate the cutting and pasting of the standards into the Instructional Alignment Chart.

The Hunt Institute and the Council of Chief State School Officers have commissioned a series of video vignettes that explain the standards in far greater depth. Several of the key standards writers were asked, in their own words, to talk about how the standards were developed and the goals they set for all students. These videos were developed to help all stakeholders better understand the breadth and depth of the standards and how they will improve teaching, make classrooms better, create shared expectations, and cultivate lifelong learning for all students. The segments are organized into separate mathematics and ELA sections, and demonstrate critical concepts related to each.

Use these videos to:

• Help you understand the major changes and advances in the state standards for literacy and mathematics and their impact on what happens in classrooms
• Use as a catalyst for discussion with your colleagues on implementation and setting higher expectations for students
• Help parents understand the true essence of the Standards - why changes were important, what will be different in the educational experiences of their children, and how shared expectations-between parents and teachers-can help support children's learning

The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) is a consortium of states working together to develop a common set of assessments in English and mathematics aligned to the Common Core Standards. These new assessments will build a pathway to college and career readiness by the end of high school, mark students' progress toward this goal from 3rd grade up, and provide teachers with timely information to inform instruction and provide student support. The PARCC assessments will be administered during the 2014-15 school year.

PARCC received an $186 million grant through the U.S. Department of Education's Race to the Top assessment competition to support the development and design of the next-generation assessment system.

PARCC states have committed to building an assessment system that:

• Builds a pathway to college and career readiness for all students,
• Creates high-quality assessments that measure the full range of the Common Core Standards,
• Supports educators in the classroom,
• Makes better use of technology in assessments, and
• Advances accountability at all levels.

PARCC States include: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Tennessee

The Parents' Guides to Student Success were developed in response to the Common Core Standards in English language arts and mathematics. National PTA® created these grade-specific guides for grades K-8 and two for grades 9-12 (one for English language arts/literacy and one for mathematics).

The guides include:

• Key items that children should be learning in English language arts and mathematics in each grade, once the standards are fully implemented
• Activities that parents can do at home to support their child's learning
• Methods for helping parents build stronger relationships with their child's teacher
• Tips for planning for college and career (high school only)