Content Area Standards

The Department of Education maintains State educational standards for Early Learning, and for grades PK-12 (Maine Learning Results, MLRs) in English Language Arts, Health Education, Life and Career Ready, Mathematics, Physical Education, Science and Engineering, Social Studies, Visual and Performing Arts, World Languages, and Digital Learning.

Teachers use curriculum standards to identify what every child should know and be able to do in each subject area and grade level. Standards are agreed upon statements of what a student and be able to do in a content area. Teachers have identified these “priority standards” to guide their instruction and assessment of student learning. The priority standards are detailed, specific standards for students’ essential learning in each content area.

From the Maine Department of Education:

Since 1997, Maine has had the Maine Learning Results as its State standards for eight content areas and periodically updates them to ensure they are aligned with the evolving expectations of colleges and careers in the 21st century. The Maine Learning Results were updated in 2011 to include Common Core as the college and career readiness standards for English language arts and math, better preparing our students for success in college, career and civic life by creating deeper, more rigorous and clearer expectations for learning. There is an ongoing process of MLR revision.

The updated standards emphasize more complex content and concepts and the development of needed real-world skills like problem-solving, collaboration, critical thinking and communication. These skills are imperative for Maine students to succeed and our state to thrive. The strengthened standards set a high bar for all Maine students, no matter their school. How Maine educators go about helping students meet and exceed those standards – including curriculum, required reading or school operations – remains entirely a local decision.

To learn more about the Maine Learning Results and the Common Core State Standards, please visit

https://www.maine.gov/doe/learning/diplomas/MaineLearningResults