Date: July 26 , 2012
Contact: Carol Connelly, Director, Media & Communication Services, ext. 5267, cconnelly@pnc.edu

PNC Hosts Affinity Network Common Core State Standards Meeting

Westville – Purdue University North Central will be the site of the first state meeting of the Indiana Affinity Network on Aug. 15, as educators gather to discuss implementation of the Common Core State Standards.

The Common Core State Standards provide high and consistent education requirements across 45 states. In this first year of the Affinity Network, its focus is on how the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) will influence the transition of students from high school into and through college. The College Board Advocacy & Policy Center launched an Affinity Network - Connecting K-12 & Postsecondary Education to help ensure that millions of additional students graduate from high school prepared to succeed in the global economy, addressing critical issues that require linkages between kindergarten through 12 th grade education and the postsecondary institutions.

PNC was selected to represent the State of Indiana in this project. The Affinity Network's first team is composed of more than 100 educators from Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Oklahoma and Washington. Educators from districts serving kindergarten through 12 th grade students and two- and four-year colleges and universities in these states will work together during the next year to explore how implementation of CCSS can lead to clarity on the definition of “college and career readiness.” Teams will also develop clear and consistent expectations for students, congruent with the goals of the Common Core State Standards. Results will be published and will be shared with a national audience of educators and policymakers to strengthen education in Indiana and across the United States.

The Indiana team includes eight faculty and staff from PNC, eight members from Ivy Tech and seven members from Westville schools. The Indiana team leader is Dr. Kumara Jayasuriya, PNC associate vice chancellor for Academic Affairs. The Affinity Network held its inaugural meeting in April in Washington, D.C.