Arizona teachers are preparing for changes in their classroom this fall. It’s part of a multi-year process aimed at changing the way children are taught. They’re called Common Core Standards. KJZZ’s Al Macias reports on what some educators are doing to prepare for the changes.

KJZZ's Al Macias interviews a charter school teacher and State Education Superintendent John Huppenthal on Wednesday. (Photo courtesy @AZCharterSchools via Twitter)

AL MACIAS: The Arizona Board of Education adopted Common Core Standards for English and math in 2010. For the last two years, teachers and administrators have been preparing for the first classroom phase this fall. Grades K-3 and 8-9 will be the first to fully transition. State Education Superintendent John Huppenthal explains what the change means for students and teachers.

JOHN HUPPENTHAL: When you’re doing science, you’re going to be doing writing, you’re going to be doing math, reading and this teacher is going to bring this all into place in a more complex environment. So it’s going to require a higher level of skill in the teaching arena.
 
MACIAS: On Wednesday a group of charter school teachers met with Huppenthal and presented his office with a transition plan that addresses several key concerns. Charlene Mendoza is a charter school teacher from Tucson. She says the new standards will mean new tests.
 
CHARLENE MENDOZA: We’re looking for samples, so that we can better understand the expectations of the department and we can better prepare our students to be successful in those ways they are going to be measured.
 
MACIAS: The new standards apply to all public and charter schools. All classes K-12 are scheduled to be teaching to the new standards by the 2014-2015 school year.