Common Core Toolkit Aligns Standards with 21st Century Skills Framework
The Partnership for 21st Century Skills has released a new toolkit designed to help state and district education leaders implement Common Core State Standards within the P21 Framework for 21st Century Skills.
The Partnership for 21st Century Skills is a coalition of business and education groups focused on technology education and the integration of technology into education. The group provides the Framework for 21st Century Learning, a roadmap for education centered around technology and skills-focused learning.
The framework focuses largely on student outcomes in 21st century learning areas, including life and career skills, critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity, technology and information/media literacy, and core academic subjects using 21st century themes. It also includes guidelines for the supports required for 21st century learning, including standards and assessments, curriculum and instruction, professional development, and learning environments.
Common Core State Standards have been adopted by most states and several territories in the United States. Common Core State Standards are designed to provide a national, standardized set of academic standards as an alternative to those previously developed by the states on an individual basis.
The new toolkit links Common Core State Standards with the 21st century framework, providing both an overview of alignment between the two and examples and sample lessons. It also includes a compilation of Common Core and assessment resources for education leaders.
"We are very excited to be part of P21 and developing this important work," said Terry Holliday, chair of the state advisory committee within the Partnership for 21st Century Skills and commissioner of education for the state of Kentucky.. "In Kentucky we are already working with teachers on integrating the P21 Framework alongside Common Core standards, and this Toolkit will provide a great opportunity for teachers to see what 21st century skills look like in the classroom."
The complete 45-page P21 Common Core Toolkit is available as a free PDF download. Additional details can be found on P21's Common Core Toolkit portal.