August 2012
The California Collaborative on District Reform co-sponsored a symposium on August 14 and 15 called Collaborating for Success: Implementing the Common Core State Standards in California. The event, which brought together district leaders and other stakeholders from across the state (including 32 California school districts), used a combination of addresses and breakout sessions to examine the instructional shifts called for in the Common Core, emerging practices for effective implementation, and opportunities for collaboration that can facilitate a successful transition to the Common Core. The symposium also featured contributions from several Collaborative members, including a panel of early implementers that included Long Beach USD Superintendent Chris Steinhauser, remarks from San Francisco USD Superintendent Richard Carranza and Stanford professor Kenji Hakuta about the ways in which the Common Core addresses language demands for English learners, and closing observations from State Board of Education President Mike Kirst. REL West, the California Comprehensive Center at WestEd, and California Education Partners partnered with the Collaborative to co-sponsor the event.