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Summer Update from AB
The summer is already at its halfway point and the K-12 industry is more active than ever. Our summer newsletter highlights a few of the ways AB continues to support your standards data service needs in the face of the changing landscape. Please enjoy the rest of your summer.
Sincerely,
Matt Doherty
President, Academic Benchmarks
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AB API Continues to Grow
New Methods and Expanded Formats
Since 2011, AB Provides API for Companies to Integrate and Maintain Up-to-Date Educational Standards Data and Alignment Functionality with Proprietary Interfaces
With AB API, content developers and distributors can integrate AB's educational standards data and alignment functionality, including taxonomies and relevancy ranking, with their proprietary content development, alignment, and distribution systems. Integration via AB API allows clients to design their own user interfaces around AB's standards and alignment functionality.
In response to increased client demand, AB recently added two API methods: translate and maintainAccess. With the translate method, clients can more easily connect similarly aligned content even when the standards data sources are different. If you would like a demonstration, please visit our Standards Translation Service.
The maintainAccess method supersedes the maintainIP method released in February 2012. As popularity of cloud services grows, AB has experienced an increase in the request for whitelisted domain names. The maintainAccess method supports access by IP address, CIDR range and domain names.In addition to developing two new methods, AB has expanded the available response formats to include not only XML but also JSON.
AB is committed to improving its API offerings to support client development projects. To learn more about AB API, visit the API page of our website.
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Common Core Integrates New Identifiers
Two years after releasing the CCSS, the NGA/CCSSO offer their own GUIDs
Earlier this Spring, the NGA/CCSSO released their plan to implement new Common Core State Standards Identifiers. Following a public commenting period, these new Identifiers were released earlier this month along with feedback from the NGA/CCSSO. As a service to the clients of Academic Benchmarks, we wanted to make you aware of these changes, inform you of what steps we are taking to capture the Identifiers and let you know how the changes may impact your organization.
Since the release of the Common Core State Standards, Academic Benchmarks has been hard at work to provide our clients as much access and information as possible. We were the first to offer GUIDs for the CCSS, as well as many digital delivery formats (XLS, CSV, XML, JSON) via file delivery or API.
Recent news from the NGA/CCSSO indicates the release of new Identifiers to be used with the CCSS, which include GUIDs, URIs, and an updated Dot Notation system. Academic Benchmarks will update the current numbering of the CCSS documents to reflect these latest developments within the NGA/CCSSO. In addition we will include the new Identifiers as a data element within the file.
Visit the News and Alerts section of the AB KnowledgeBase to learn more about these new Identifiers and how they may impact your standards delivery.
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Upcoming Conferences
Sun 9/30 - Tue 10/2:
EdNet 2012
Baltimore, MD
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Upcoming Conferences
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Common Corner Goes Social
You've known about the Common Corner, your one-stop for all items related to the Common Core, since we launched it in October 2011, but did you know we are now on Facebook & Twitter?
The Common Core Standards have brought about many questions and through social media we hope to provide a place to get and share information for not only our clients, but all those interested in the Common Core.
Like our Facebook page and you will receive the latest updates, news and on-line resources. Check out our Events page as we help track conferences and webinars for our followers. We welcome our clients to share their questions, thoughts, and interests about the CCSS.
For those on the go, follow us on Twitter to stay updated on all the news surrounding the Common Core.
The Common Corner has been a great success, and we look forward to expanding our CCSS community through social media.
 
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The AB Support Line
AB Support helps our clients get the most out of their AB experience. You can reach AB Support via email or by submitting a Support Request Form in the AB KnowledgeBase. Below are a couple of Hot Topics from our clients:
Are you aligning to obsolete standards documents? Here's how to find out!
From the Obsolete tab in our Manage Standards page, you can view a list of all documents that are in your license that are obsolete. From this list, you can remove any or all obsolete documents from your account. Please note that once an obsolete document is removed, all alignments to that document are lost. As a reminder, at the end of each quarter, Academic Benchmarks renders some standards documents in its collection as obsolete. Before making these changes, AB verifies the document's obsoletestatus with the issuing entity. Clients with an existing license for such standards may continue to use the files, but AB no longer supports those files and does not recommend aligning to them. The specific details are spelled out in the AB Obsolete Standards Policy. Please contact AB Support if you have any questions about the status of any standards documents. |
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Common Corner Updates
The following state specific standards are now available for Math and/or English Language Arts. Links are provided below to view the standards through the AB Website:
IL Common Core Standards
Information on these updates can be found in the Common Corner.
AZ is in the process of making revisions to their CCSS ELA standards. The last version was removed from the AZ website. We will continue to monitor this situation and provide an update once the latest version has been released, reviewed, and converted for our clients use.
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Standards News & Notes
Links are provided below to view the standards through the AB Website:
Releases:
OK PreKindergarten & Kindergarten Standards
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