PARCC assessments will be tightly aligned to the Common Core State Standards and grounded in the key shifts at the heart of the Common Core State Standards.

Common Core Shifts for ELA/Literacy (condensed)

1. Complexity: The standards require regular practice with complex text and its academic language
2. Evidence: The standards emphasize reading and writing grounded in evidence from text, both literary and informational
3. Knowledge: The standards require building knowledge through content rich non-fiction

This resource describes in detail the six instructional shifts needed to effectively implement the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in ELA/Literacy. (table courtesy of engageNY)