Outlined in A New Compact for Learning, is the State’s role to collaborate with teachers, administrators, parents, and others interested in education to stimulate and support locally-developed curriculum by focusing on achievement results and by creating a curriculum framework. 

This newly created curriculum framework painted a coherent K-12 vision of curriculum by:  a) articulating desired English Language Arts (ELA) learning standards for students, b) suggesting the key concepts and competencies related to those standards, and c) describing the criteria for success at several points on a continuum of achievement. The framework was based on education research, the science of child development, and effective teaching practices.  

Learning standards, within the curriculum framework, were defined as “the knowledge, skills, and understandings that individuals can and do habitually demonstrate over time as a consequence of instruction and experience.”  This emphasis on habitual performance suggested that what learners do in varied contexts over time is more important than isolated demonstrations of learning. 

The ELA learning standards provided a common lens for observing, assessing, and reporting authentic language use at different stages of development.  Together with the criteria that characterize competent performance, these standards were intended to assist teachers in monitoring growth in language achievement, in using common vocabulary for describing that growth, and in developing plans for nurturing that growth. 

The NYS learning standards for ELA focus on the skills of reading, writing, listening, and speaking.  Students are expected to read and experience a wide range of genre as part of the learning process.  The standards are as follows: 

Standard 1  Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding. 

Standard 2  Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression. 

Standard 3  Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation. 

Standard 4  Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction. 

The shift from a focus on course content, as provided for through traditional syllabi, to student performance, in the form of content and performance standards, allowed for greater flexibility in instruction while keeping instructional uniformity.  Each teacher was encouraged to teach their students using whatever instructional materials they chose and to use the instructional style and methods that were most suitable for their learners as long as the learners exhibited the knowledge, skills, and behaviors listed in the standards as the end-product of instruction.  

One measure of student growth in ELA is accomplished through the system of State assessments.  Assessment is designed to identify, monitor and report learning that is occurring in the schools.  The ELA assessments focus on students’ actual performances as readers, writers, and listeners and are directly connected to curriculum and instructional practice through the performance indicators. 

Each item on a New York State ELA test, whether a multiple choice question, short response or extended response, is linked to a performance indicator(s) of the learning standards.  Collectively, the items are listed on an item map.  Each item map has the number of the item as it appeared on the test and its corresponding learning standard and performance indicator.  The item map for each test can be found on the Office of State Assessment website. Reading the item map and comparing the performance indicator with the test question yields important information for both instructional program improvements and increased student achievement.

The federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) requires further changes in NYS’s standards and the State assessment program.  This legislation calls for each State to:

• have or develop grade specific content expectations in reading, for each of grades 3-8.

NYS was a forerunner in setting higher expectations (learning standards) and creating a comprehensive set of standards for ELA. The ELA Resource Guide with Core Curriculum was developed to provide more specific guidance to the education community on student expectations.  This document delineates performance indicators in two-year grade bands.  In response to NCLB, NYS will update the core to provide annual performance indicators prekindergarten through twelfth grade.

• measure every public school student’s progress in reading in each of grades three through 8 and at least once during grades 10 through 12. 

Prior to NCLB, New York State tested students in grade four and eight to determine student success in achieving State standards. In response to NCLB, grade level assessments will be developed to measure the performance indicators in grades 3-8.

• provide instruction by using practices that research has shown to be successful. 

Instructional practices, which meet these federal requirements, will be shared statewide through the NYS Virtual Learning System.

As initiated in A New Compact for Learning, the State views the education as a collaborative process and continue to value its relationship with students, parents, educators and the community to strengthen the teaching and learning process for all students.