Rationale for Content Area Standards

There are several reasons content area standards are developed and adopted. They include:

1. Setting Expectations for Student Learning

Content area standards clearly describe what students need to know and be able to do, placing student learning at the center of schooling. By setting clear expectations for learning, content area standards offer a framework for teachers when designing teaching and learning experiences, and provide a means for students to set personal learning goals associated with academic success (Downing, 2005).

2. Understanding Strengths and Gaps in Student Learning

Content area standards help educators understand and share information about specific strengths and/or gaps in student knowledge and ability, which can inform decisions to improve teaching and learning. This knowledge can help teachers differentiate instruction and thus meet the learning needs of all students (Wertheim & Leyser, 2002).

3. Establishing Rigorous Expectations for Student Learning

The identification of content area standards provides a means to set higher expectations for student learning. With increasing demands in the job market for highly-skilled workers (Hanushek, Woessmann & Peterson, 2012), it is incumbent on state departments of education to ensure rigorous learning expectations. Rigorous expectations for learning ensure that students are prepared for postsecondary education and careers upon high school graduation.

4. Providing Continuity and Setting High Standards in All Schools

Drawing from a common set of standards ensures that students who may change schools or classrooms do not miss or repeat particular content and stay on a trajectory towards college and career readiness (Kendall, 2011). As students are increasingly mobile (Ihrke, 2014), it is vital that schools develop curriculum from a common set of content area standards so students have equal access to an effective education regardless of their mobility.

5. Promoting Educator Collaboration

Adopting a common set of content area standards allows teachers to collaborate on lesson planning and assessment development. This collaboration can result in more effective lessons, alignment between instruction and assessment, and can positively impact professional growth (Fabilliar & Jones, 2002).

This information, including the references mentioned above, was taken from NDE’s Content Area Standards Reference Guide.

Checklist for High-Quality Standards

Measurable

Do the standards and indicators start with an action verb at the appropriate level in the relevant learning domain (cognitive, affective, or psychomotor)?

Can an assessment of learning be designed from the indicator?

Do the standards/indicators emphasize what students will learn or demonstrate as opposed to how they will learn or demonstrate?

Appropriately Challenging

Are the standards and indicators developmentally appropriate for the intended group of learners?

Do the standards and indicators prepare students for higher levels of thinking, feeling, or doing?

Are the standards and indicators written at the highest level of thinking, feeling, or doing for the intended group of learners?

Connected

Are the standards and indicators connected to future learning?

Have the Nebraska Career Readiness Standards been embedded, when appropriate?

Do the standards and indicators allow for connections to other content areas (e.g. English Language Arts, Mathematics, etc.)

Clearly Worded

Do the standards and indicators start with an action verb?

Are the standards and indicators written concisely? Is consistent language used?

Does the writing of the standards and indicators follow appropriate conventions of writing and grammar?

Does each indicator include only one topic or thought?

Has the use of multiple topics or thoughts in one indicator been avoided (e.g. double-barreled statements)?

Scaffolded

Does the content in the standards and indicators reflect a content-based learning progression?

Does the content in the standards and indicators build off of previously mastered content or concepts?

Is the content in the standards and indicators a prerequisite for future learning?

Is the learning progression free of gaps?

Does the verb level the standard reflects the highest level of thinking, feeling, and doing (i.e. The verb level of the indicator should not supersede the verb level of the standard)?

Specific

Do the indicators provide a benchmark for identifying student mastery of the standard?

Can the standard/indicator be made less ambiguous or less obscure?

Are the standards and indicators measurable?

PreK-12 Curriculum Alignment

Aligned curriculum is a balanced school program that accommodates a wide variety of developmental levels and is designed to increase the intellectual, personal, physical, social and career development of all students. Curriculum must be rigorous and challenging, aligned to district and/or state standards and benchmarks, and vertically and horizontally articulated across all levels.

Administrators and teachers should use the following guiding questions to analyze their PreK-12 curriculum alignment. This analysis will help determine if curriculum alignment should be a major focus of their CIP process.

• Is there formalized written curriculum for PreK-12 in all content areas?

• Is curriculum aligned with:

  • Nebraska State Standards or locally-approved standards?

  • Nebraska Early Learning Guidelines?

  • Nebraska English Language Proficiency Standards?

  • Nebraska Career Readiness Standards?

• Is the curriculum reflective of

  • District’s vision and mission?

  • Local Board policies?

  • A consenous process by teachers who are experienced with the content area and age groups of students involved?

• Is the curriculum

  • Reviewed and revised at regular intervals?

  • Based on data, research, and best practices?

  • Comprehensive and sequential?

  • Totally integrated with quality instruction and assessments?

  • A framework for facilitating teaching and learning?

  • Reflective of a commitment to equity and an appreciation of diversity?

  • Articulated to ensure P-16 student performance and readiness for employment?

• Does the curriculum

  • Challenge each student to excel?

  • Provide for differentiated levels of instruction?

  • Include a system for implementing interventions to help students who need it?

  • Move the staff away from textbook only to textbook as a resource?

• Is the staff

  • Familiar with the horizontal and vertical alignment of their specific content area(s) to the district’s curriculum?

  • Given dedicated time to work with peers on alignment?

• Have families and community partners

  • Been given a chance to provide input?