The Common Core and other college- and career-ready (CCR) standards call for a greater focus in mathematics. Rather than racing to cover topics in a mile-wide, inch-deep curriculum, CCR standards require us to significantly narrow and deepen the way time and energy are spent in the math classroom. We focus deeply on the major work of each grade so that students can gain strong foundations: solid conceptual understanding, a high degree of procedural skill and fluency, and the ability to apply the math they know to solve problems inside and outside the math classroom. The following documents illustrate these concepts using the Common Core State Standards, but Focus, Coherence, and Rigor are integral to all college- and career-ready standards.
Students should spend the large majority of their time on the major work of the grade (). Supporting work () and, where appropriate, additional work () can engage students in the major work of the grade. Emphases are given at the cluster level. Refer to the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics for the specific standards that fall within each cluster.