I have seen GKIDS being used before, and I agree, the Common Core standards do not match up with GKIDS and vice versa. I feel as if kindergartners must know how to accomplish the skills on GKIDS before they can accomplish mastering the Common Core standards. I also feel that if the state of Georgia is going to continue to use both the GKIDS and Common Core standards, GKIDS will have to be "revamped" to meet or match the skills of the Common Core standards in order for the kindergarten students to master those standards to move on to first grade. I think I would look at the GKIDS skills and find the Common Core standards that even remotely resembles the skills on GKIDS. I would look at where the disconnect is and figure out a way to meet both the skill and the standard. It will be more planning on the teacher's part, but if both are going to continue to be used for kindergartners, the teacher must find some way to fill the gap.

I found it frustrating to use both the GKIDS assessments and the Common Core standards. The two do not match up and assess the same skills. One or the other should be used. I think the students must be able to do the GKIDS skills before they can do the Common Core skills. The Common Core standards are much more rigorous than the GKIDS ever were. Coming from an EIP kindergarten class, it made more sense to use the GKIDS standards to assess the students. However, my school's curriculum was focused around the common core standards. The GKIDS do overlap in some areas, but for the most part, you can assess the GKIDS all in the beginning of the year. The common core standards are what you are building up to.

Just make sure you are mixing the work and teaching each, with different assessments and lesson plans.