What is common core and does it matter to school-based SLPs?
Read on for more information about standards and supporting materials that can help make it all a lot easier for you!
What is the Common Core?
The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are a set of grade specific skills and concepts designed to align with college and work expectations. They focus on what matters most for college readiness. They include grade specific, end of year expectations that are developmentally appropriate. The CCSS follow a cumulative progression of skills and understanding from kindergarten through 12th grade. There is an emphasis across the curriculum including English Language Arts ad Mathematics. Generally, CCSS define the knowledge and skills that all students should acquire to be successful after high school graduation.
My state doesn’t have common core, does this matter to me?
Even states that don’t use common core have their own set of standards. And, even if you don’t use common core standards, you can still use screeners based on these standards just like you would use developmental milestones! You can also look up your state’s own standards as well. Chances are, the speech and language related skills have a lot of overlap! Read below for a research-based framework on how we should incorporate standards into our school-based speech therapy!
What do the standards NOT define?
The CCSS do not define how teachers and/or other professionals should teach, all that can or should be taught, the interventions needed for students well below grade level, and the full range of support for English language learners and students with special needs. This means that much of the work of an SLP is not define by the CCSS. It is still up to each SLP to combine the CCSS with interventions that are evidence-based.
What standards are most important for SLPs?
SLPs should primarily refer to the language standards, listening and speaking standards, and reading standards. These sections are all within the English Language Arts (ELA) section. Most of the standards within these sections are applicable to SLPs. Additionally, other subjects such as math, science, and social studies contain language based standards that SLPs could target as well.
What should SLPs do with the CCSS?
SLPs must be knowledgeable of the CCSS. They need to continue to work together with teachers to improve services and increase services in the regular classroom setting. SLPs should increase the relevance of therapy to the curriculum. They should create interventions from an academic perspective. Last, SLPs should align their goals with the CCSS.
What are “anchor standards”?
An anchor standard is a standard that describes a skill that high school graduates should have in order to be ready for entry into a job or college. In general, an anchor standard is the target.
Can I use Common Core Standards for my IEP goals?
If you’re looking for an IEP goals bank aligned to common core standards, you should know that it’s not recommended that you use Common Core Standards directly as IEP goals. Instead, you should write IEP goals that support the Common Core Standards. You may need to work on skills that underlie Common Core Standards from several grade levels behind that of the student. My
goal bank contains lots of goals that were inspired from common core standards!
So, what should I do with common core?
Power-deFur and Flynn (2012) have some excellent advice about what speech language pathologists need to do with common core standards.
Step 1: Review the standards for your student’s grade
Step 2: Determine where the child is performing – look at the present levels
Simple screeners will provide lots of information on where the child is currently performing. My Common Core Reference binder includes screeners and assessments that will help you figure what your students know how to do and what they need to work on!
Step 3: Review IEP goals, accommodations, and modifications
Step 4: Review classroom materials and instructional style
Step 5: Collaborate with teachers
Step 6: Design and implement intervention
In my Common Core Reference Binder for SLPs, I provided lots of checklists to help you get organized, plus progress monitoring sheets to help you assess the effectiveness of your intervention.
The Common Core Reference Binder for SLPs
If all that sounds complicated to you, you’ll definitely want to check out my HUGE (441 pages!) Common Core Reference Binder for SLPs.

My binder contains everything you need to confidently incorporate common core standards into your therapy for your kindergarten through 5th grade students.
Common Core Checklists
I’ve extracted the applicable speech and language standards for each grade into a simplified, easy to read. Not sure what your 1st grade students should be able to do? Pull out that checklist! Just like we refer to developmental milestones, the common core standards let us know what our students should be able to do.

I also included a list of standards by grade that relate to speech therapy goals, without checklists, as a reference to you or to share with teachers or parents.
Speech and Language Screeners aligned with common core standards
I’ve also included a quick 1-page screener for each grade. Every question on the screener aligns with a standard. That way you can figure out exactly where your students are struggling when you are working on a plan!
PICTURE OF SCREENER
Therapy resources aligned with common core standards
Finally, I’ve included materials for therapy for the standards. You’ll get anchor charts with a visual explanation, “I can” charts, stimulus materials like vocabulary word lists, graphic organizers, and data sheets. You’ll have all of that for the following targets:
Vocabulary:
- Multiple Meaning Words
- Affixes and Root Words
- Context Clues
- Categories and Attributes
- Antonyms and Synonyms
- Figurative Language
Grammar:
- Nouns, Plural Nouns, and Abstract Nouns
- Verbs
- Prepositions
- Pronouns
- Adjectives, comparatives, and superlatives
- Conjunctions
Language:
- Formulating sentences
- Asking and answering questions
- Main idea
- Story retell
- Describing
Phonological Awareness
- Letter/sound identification
- Rhyming
- Syllables
- Phoneme isolation
- Phoneme substitution
There are also standards overviews and “I Can” posters for pragmatics, articulation, fluency, and voice.
Other goodies
I’ve also included some other fun goodies, like blank “I can do it” books your students can use to track their own progress and blank data sheets you can use.
Below is an example of an anchor chart:
 
And its corresponding “I Can” posters….

For many topics, I include bonus reference pages as shown below:

Below is an example of the included assessment pages:

I always include blank ones too!

Here is some of it printed out:

{thanks for reading}
Uh-maze-ing!
Thanks, CC!! 🙂
What a ginormous undertaking – a fabulous resource! Thank you!
Thank you so much!! I really appreciate that 🙂
WOW! This is awesome. One of the most functional, useful things I’ve seen. It is hard to be a public school SLP and keep all the plates spinning. This resource will be a real time saver!
Thank you so much, Heather!! This was so wonderful to read. So glad it’ll be useful for you! Thanks a million for commenting 🙂
This is an incredible undertaking. The book is just wonderful in so many ways. Great job!
Thank you so much!! You are awesome 🙂
Wow!!!!!! I just watched the vlog…absolutely amazing! How do you find the time to do all of this and be a grade student, too?! This is definitely going on my wishlist. Wow. Wow. Wow.
You’re the best, Amy! Thank you so much!! I worked on this product my entire summer break between semesters… that’s how! Haha 🙂
This is so very impressive! I just bought it and am working on getting it all ready for next year! I can’t wait to use it! Thank you so much! I can’t imagine the time it took to put it all together! I love the simple font and borders you used. A–ma–zing!!!! Thank you!
THANK YOU!! You rock 🙂 Hope it helps you!
This is A. Ma. Zing!! I purchased this resource binder at the end of the school year and am getting ready to assemble my own. However, I have a few questions. Did you put every sheet in a sheet protector, or just three hole punch all of the sheets? Did you keep everything in one binder, or did you split up each section. I am just wondering, now that you have had or binder for a year or so, if you have any suggestions about assembling it and putting it all together.
Thanks so much!
Kim
This looks amazing! Please please please make one for middle school!!!!!