NEXT GENERATION SUNSHINE STATE STANDARDS

Attachment A:  

NEXT GENERATION SUNSHINE STATE STANDARDS 

ADDITIONS TO THE COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS 

IN MATHEMATICS AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS 

The Florida State Board of Education unanimously adopted the Common Core State 

Standards (CCSS) in Mathematics and English Language Arts on July 27, 2010. 

In August 2010, the CCSS were presented to committees of Florida Writers and Framers 

for alignment with the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards (NGSSS) for 

Mathematics and English Language Arts.  The committees also considered the addition 

of up to 15 percent of content from NGSSS to be added to the CCSS.  Standards 

matching was also done using the Achieve alignment tool. 

The Thomas B. Fordham Institute’s report “The State of State Standards and the 

Common Core in 2010” states that: 

•  California, the District of Columbia, and Indiana have English Language Arts 

(ELA) standards that are clearly superior to the Common Core. 

•  Eleven other states (including Florida) have ELA standards that are of the same 

quality as the Common Core or in the “too close to call” category, meaning that, 

overall they are at least as clear and rigorous as the Common Core standards. 

•  Eleven states (including Florida) plus the District of Columbia have Mathematics 

standards in the “too close to call” category. 

•  The Common Core Mathematics and English Language Arts standards are far 

superior to those now in place in many states, districts, and classrooms.  They are 

ambitious and challenging for students and educators alike.  Accompanied by a 

properly aligned, content-rich curriculum, they provide K-12 teachers with a 

sturdy instructional framework for these most fundamental subjects. 

The addition of some Florida-specific benchmarks will strengthen the content, clarity and 

rigor of the existing Common Core standards for Florida’s students.  Based on the 

suggestions of the Florida Framers and Writers committees, as well as the 

aforementioned Fordham’s report, the following recommendations of additional Florida 

specific benchmarks are provided: 

Mathematics 

•  Grade 5 

–  MA.5.G.5.4 Derive and apply formulas for areas of parallelograms, 

triangles, and trapezoids from the area of a rectangle. 

–  MA.5.S.7.1 Construct and analyze line graphs and double bar graphs. 

–  MA.5.S.7.2 Differentiate between continuous and discrete data, and 

determine ways to represent those using graphs and diagrams. 

•  Grade 8

–  MA.8.G.5.1 Compare, contrast, and convert units of measure between 

different measurement systems (US customary or metric (SI)) and 

dimensions including temperature, area, volume, and derived units to 

solve problems. 

•  Grades 9-12 Algebra 

–  MA.912.A.3.8 Graph a line given any of the following information:  a 

table of values, the x- and y-intercepts, two points, the slope and a point, 

the equation of the line in slope-intercept form, standard form, or point-

slope form. 

–  MA.912.A.3.9 Determine the slope, x-intercept, and y-intercept of a line 

given its graph, its equation, or two points on the line. 

–  MA.912.A.3.10 Write an equation of a line given any of the following 

information:  two points on the line, its slope and one point on the line, or 

its graph.  Also, find an equation of a new line parallel to a given line, or 

perpendicular to a given line, through a given point on the new line. 

•  Grades 9-12 Geometry 

–  MA.912.G.4.7 Apply the inequality theorems:  triangle inequality, 

inequality in one triangle, and the Hinge Theorem. 

Presently, Florida’s Course Code Directory includes numerous mathematics courses that 

clearly exceed the minimal expectations set forth in the CCSS for college and career 

readiness.  Consequently, we recommend that the NGSSS for Mathematics continue to be 

utilized as a resource to define the content of upper level mathematics courses including, 

but not limited to, Advanced Algebra with Financial Applications, Discrete Mathematics, 

Trigonometry, Calculus, and Analysis of Functions. 

English Language Arts 

Commonalities that exist among the four states reported to have English Language Arts 

standards superior to CCSS include the reading of informational texts, the reading of 

literary texts, and some additions in the study and practice of writing.  Furthermore, 

Florida Framers and Writers felt that: 

•  To efficiently find information within a text, students need the knowledge of 

nonfiction text structure and its component parts such as the table of contents, 

glossary, and index.  

•  An understanding of text organizational patterns is crucial in comprehending the 

longer texts that students will encounter as they progress through the educational 

system.  

•  Florida K-12 students need a comprehensive study of literary texts. A new 

standard on genre study and analysis will provide another tool for high student 

achievement in this realm of study.  Introduced at appropriate developmental 

levels throughout the grades, genre study will focus the student on the ideas and 

styles reflected in different and increasingly rigorous literary text.  

•  Adding standards on writing purpose and craft will add the final keystone to the 

English Language Arts foundation that students need. Writing in a variety of 

creative genres, including poetry; and learning fundamental writing craft 

elements, including voice, will provide all students the balance needed for 

outstanding writing experiences in K-12 classrooms.  

The Florida English Language Arts standards being recommended for addition are 

from the 2009 draft, which has not been adopted by the State Board of Education.  

Therefore, there is no numbering convention for them at this time. 

•  Grades K-12 Informational Text 

–  Logic and Rhetoric:  Analyze and evaluate the rhetorical strategies used in 

print and non-print informational texts, including the recognition of grade-

appropriate logical fallacies. 

•  Grades 6-12 Informational Text 

–  Text Features:  Analyze text and formatting features to facilitate 

comprehension in print and non-print informational texts. 

–  Text Features:  Analyze organizational structures to facilitate 

comprehension in a variety of print and non-print informational texts. 

•  Grades K-12 Literature 

–  Literary Response:  Read and evaluate literary texts to demonstrate an 

understanding of how  literature impacts the reader. 

–  Literary Response:  Create and share oral, artistic, musical, written, or 

multimodal presentations to literature. 

•  Grades K-2 Literature 

–  Literary Analysis:  Identify the structural elements which distinguish 

poetry and prose, including sentence formation, line length, rhyme, and 

rhythm. 

•  Grade 6 Literature 

–  Literary Analysis:  Explain how ideas and language patterns of a literary 

work may reflect the historical or cultural period in which it was written. 

–  Literary Analysis:  Compare and contrast the distinguishing structural 

elements of the short story, novel, poetry, drama, and literary nonfiction. 

•  Grades 9-10 Literature 

–  Literary Analysis:  Explain how distinguishing characteristics of a  literary 

work reflect the historical or cultural period in which it was written. 

•  Grades 11-12 Literature 

–  Literary Analysis:  Analyze how a literary work may reflect or influence 

the moral dilemmas of the historical or cultural period in which it was 

written. 

–  Literary Analysis:  Evaluate how genre characteristics of American, 

British Commonwealth, and/or world literature support the theme and 

main idea of the text. 

•  Grades K-12 Writing
–  Writing Purpose:  Write in a variety of creative genres including poetry to
display aesthetic awareness that form and function are interrelated and to
practice literary technique.
•  Grades 3-5 Writing
–  Writer’s Craft:  Students develop an appropriate voice that reinforces the
writer’s ideas and/or feelings toward the subject.
•  Grades 6-8 Writing
–  Writer’s Craft:  Students develop an appropriate voice that reinforces the
meaning and tone of the text.
•  Grades 9-12 Writing
–  Writer’s Craft:  Students maintain a consistent voice appropriate to the
audience, purpose, and task.


Florida’s Course Code Directory currently includes numerous English Language Arts
courses that clearly exceed the minimal expectations set forth in the CCSS for college
and career readiness.  Consequently, we recommend that the 2007 NGSSS for
Reading and Language Arts in grades 9-12 serve as a resource to define the content of
upper level language arts courses including, but not limited to, American Literature
Honors, British Literature Honors, Classical Literature Honors, Mass Media 4, and
Journalism VIII.

Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE), International Baccalaureate
(IB), Dual Enrollment (DE), Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID),
and Advanced Placement (AP) courses will continue to use the course descriptions
provided by the organizations that administer those programs.

It is important to note that these additional standards may not be added to the
Common Core for all adopting states, so they will not be assessed.  However, it is
certain that they will be taught as they are part of the logical progression of content
designed to prevent gaps in knowledge.