Content standards were designed to encourage the highest achievement of every student, by defining the knowledge, concepts, and skills that students should acquire at each grade level. These California Content Standards include English Language Arts, Mathematics, English Language Development, Career Technical Education, Health Education, History-Social Science, Physical Education, Science, and Visual Performing Arts.
In 2010 California joined together with 45 states and adopted the same standards for both English Language Arts and Mathematics. These standards are known as the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The Common Core State Standards provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them. The teamwork between parents, students and teachers is crucial in supporting the development of critical thinking and application of knowledge to real-world scenarios. The standards are designed to be robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that our young people need for success in college and careers. With American students fully prepared for the future, our communities will be best positioned to compete successfully in the global economy. Building on the excellent foundation of standards states have laid, the Common Core State Standards are the first step in providing our young people with a high-quality education. It should be clear to every student, parent, and teacher what the standards of success are in every school.
The development of the Common Core Standards (CCSS) was a state-led movement through the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers. The standards were designed by a diverse group of teachers, professionals, organizations, parents, and school administrators as a means to provide a clear and consistent framework to prepare our children across the nation for college and the work-force. Learning expectations will finally be consistent for all students.
Why the Change?
The Common Core State Standards define the knowledge and skills students should have within their K-12 educational careers so that they will graduate high school able to succeed in entry-level, credit-bearing academic college courses and in workforce training programs. The standards:
Additional Common Core Resources:
For all Grade Levels
High School
Middle School