There are 3 key changes or instructional shifts that impact delivery of instructional content with the implementation of the California Common Core State Standards (CCCSS) for Math. In order for students to demonstrate mastery of the CCCSS, they must practice and demonstrate mastery with the skills required by these instructional shifts.

1. Focus

The CCCSS call for a greater focus in mathematics. Rather than racing to cover topics in a mile-wide, inch-deep curriculum, the CCCSS require teachers to significantly narrow and deepen the way time and energy is spent in the math classroom. Teachers will focus deeply on the major work* of each grade so that students can gain strong foundations: solid conceptual understanding, a high degree of procedural skill and fluency, and the ability to apply the math they know to solve problems inside and outside the math classroom.

2. Coherence - Across grades, and link to major topics within grades

Across grades: The CCCSS are designed around coherent progressions from grade to grade. Learning is carefully connected across grades so that students can build new understanding onto foundations built in previous years. Each standard is not a new event, but an extension of previous learning.

Link to major topics within grades: Standards and concepts are not taught in isolation. Instead each concept cohesively supports and is explicitly connected to the major work of the grade level*. For example, data displays and graphs are not taught as isolated skills; instead, they serve as a tool to support grade-level problem solving.

3. Rigor

There are 3 areas in mathematics that require an equal balance of instructional time to ensure student depth of understanding and rigor.

Conceptual understanding: The CCCSS call for deep conceptual understanding of key concepts, such as place value, fractions and ratios. Students must be able to access concepts, approach and solve problems from a number of perspectives. Students must demonstrate conceptual understanding instead of viewing math as a set of mnemonics or discrete procedures in order to be college and career ready.

Procedural skill and fluency: The CCCSS call for speed and accuracy in calculation. Students must demonstrate procedural skill and be able to fluently solve core mathematical functions (ie. Single-digit multiplication facts). Students that demonstrate procedural skill and fluency with core functions will be better able to access and approach complex concepts and problem solving in a more efficient manner.  

Application: The CCCSS require students to use math flexibly for applications in problem-solving contexts. Students will spend more time solving multiple step real world problems that require synthesis and application of multiple standards, skills and concepts. Students will also be required to apply math learning with other content areas to approach and solve problems. In content areas outside of math, particularly science, students are given the opportunity to use math to make meaning of and access content.

* Summary of Major Work in Grades K–8

• Grades K–2 Addition and subtraction—concepts, skills, and problem solving; place value 
• Grades 3–5 Multiplication and division of whole numbers and fractions—concepts, skills, and problem solving 
• Grade 6 Ratios and proportional relationships; early expressions and equations 
• Grade 7 Ratios and proportional relationships; arithmetic of rational numbers 
• Grade 8 Linear algebra and linear functions