Milestones videos from GreatSchools demonstrate Common Core Standards for grades K-5 and empower parents to understand their child’s progress
OAKLAND, CA — February 4, 2015 — GreatSchools, the nation’s leading non-profit education site for parents, today introduces Milestones, an online collection of videos aimed at helping parents understand grade-level expectations in grades K-5. Milestones show students demonstrating what success looks like in reading, writing and math, grade by grade.
“There is no better way to gauge how your children are doing in school than to actually see other children their age demonstrate critical skills,” said Bill Jackson, chief executive officer and founder of GreatSchools. “These short, accessible videos provide that necessary benchmark. They are a cornerstone of GreatSchools’ mission: to help parents get a great education for their children.”
In designing Milestones, GreatSchools worked closely with Student Achievement Partners, a nonprofit founded by the lead writers of the Common Core that supports teachers in aligning their instruction to the college and career-readiness expectations of the Standards. Each Milestones video shows real teachers working with students to demonstrate end-of-the year grade level expectations in reading, writing, and math. By seeing what success looks like at the end of the year, parents can get a good understanding of their own child’s educational development.
“National PTA is committed to educating and supporting families as states and schools adapt to Common Core Standards,” said Otha Thornton, president of National PTA, a launch partner for Milestones. “We are pleased to collaborate with GreatSchools and bring the Milestones videos to families nationwide to help ensure they are informed and supportive of their children with their schoolwork.”
The Milestones video collection is also a great resource for school teachers. Educators can share these free videos with parents to help them understand changing academic expectations. Each video on the site is also accompanied by relevant worksheets, booklists and other resources aimed at helping children improve or get ahead.
The development and distribution of Milestones is supported by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, and many others.
The 120+ video collection is now available in English and Spanish on any device or platform at greatschools.org/milestones. Videos for grades 6-12 are coming soon.
About GreatSchools
Founded in 1998, GreatSchools is a national nonprofit that helps millions of parents find schools and support their children’s learning. The Webby award-winning website, GreatSchools.org, had nearly 60 million unique visitors last year and reaches more than half of all U.S. families with school-age children every year. As the nation’s leading guide to preK-12 schools, the site offers profiles of about 200,000 public and private schools and more than one million ratings and reviews by parents, teachers, and students. In addition, GreatSchools offers thousands of research-based articles, videos, and worksheets to help parents support their children’s learning. Headquartered in Oakland, California, GreatSchools has local programs and offices in Indianapolis, Milwaukee, and Washington, DC.
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Steve Padilla, Director of Communications
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