You are here

Understanding the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics


Understanding the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics

Colorado's State Board of Education adopted the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) in 2010, and reaffirmed that adoption with their approval of revisions to the standards in 2018. However, the CCSSM are only a part of Colorado's mathematics standards, as Colorado is required to have a more robust document that supports the integration of the Colorado Essential Skills. Still, the CCSSM (with some edits) form the basis of Colorado's Grade Level Expectations and Evidence Outcomes, and therefore some CCSSM materials can be helpful when making sense of Colorado's math standards.

  • The Illustrative Mathematics project connects mathematical tasks to each of the standards. Bill McCallum, a lead writer of the Common Core State Standards, helped create the site to show the range and types of mathematical work the standards are designed to foster in students.
  • The Progressions Documents for the Common Core Math Standards describe the progression of topics across grade levels, as informed by research on children's cognitive development and the logical structure of mathematics. The project is headed by the lead writers of the Common Core State Standards and the documents are written and reviewed by a panel of nationally recognized experts in mathematics and mathematics education.
  • The Coherence Map from Student Achievement Partners (SAP) shows connections between Common Core State Standards in an interactive map. SAP's website, Achieve the Core contains many other resources related to professional learning, planning and reflection, and classroom resources designed to support the Common Core State Standards. SAP was founded by David Coleman and Jason Zimba, two of the lead writers of the Common Core State Standards.