I have about three years experience with CC. My daughter in middle school is on the "accelerated" track which is traditional Algebra, Geometry, Algebra 2, etc. My younger child, in elementary school, is using CC math. He won't be allowed to switch into traditional math until 7th grade Algebra even if he is a child prodigy (he's not). The district won't allow it. The lower level kids stay in CC math throughout middle school and high school and will take the corresponding PARCC test. The gifted kids will take traditional math and the PARCC test to go along with that track. It is my experience that CC is math is a lower level math. It isn't more rigorous. It's just more confusing. It's supposed to teach at a deeper level, which is just too slow for gifted kids.
What makes CC different and confusing is the new methods the standards prescribe. For example, fractions are taught using a number line instead of a pie chart and multiplication is taught using the breakdown method. To pass a CC type standardized test would require some test preparation. The PARCC test also requires the student to type answers in complete sentences and to think about the answers in a different way. I think it's trickery and too confusing for elementary aged children. It's not an accurate measure of math skills, writing maybe, but not math.
I would try to avoid it if possible. The SAT will be CC aligned in 2016, but the ACT will not be.
I hope this is helpful.
Thank you for your response...yes, your experience is helpful. Question - when you say that gifted kids taking the traditional path will take the corresponding PARCC test, could you explain further ? Here in CA, I think it used to be that kids would take the CA state test for Algebra and geometry in the year that they took algebra and geometry (so for an accelerated math student, that would be in 7th and 8th grade). With SBAC (CA equivalent of PARCC), there is no algebra subject test or geometry subject test anymore, no matter what grade you are when take those subjects; students will take SBAC for CC 6,7,8 in those years, and then no further math testing until 11th grade, at which time they'll get tested on everything (alg, geometry, etc). So when DD is in 11th grade she will have had zero math classes taught under the CC curriculum but will be taking that test (again, our local HS does not anticipate it's algebra 2 will be fully aligned with CC until current 7th graders get it). I am glad to know that ACT is not changing format next spring. Seriously thinking of having my DD take SATs this spring for kicks and future reference/comparison. She's on the low end of HG based on the one IQ test she ever took (WISC IV) but math has never been difficult for her...she really does seem to just 'get it', CC or not.
