Curriculum & Instruction

four Goals of learning standards

Four learning goals provide the foundation for the development of all academic learning standards in Washington state:

• Read with comprehension, write effectively, and communicate successfully in a variety of ways and settings and with a variety of audiences;
   
• Know and apply the core concepts and principles of mathematics; social, physical, and life sciences; civics and history, including different cultures and participation in representative government; geography; arts; and health and fitness;
   
• Think analytically, logically, and creatively, and to integrate technology literacy and fluency as well as different experiences and knowledge to form reasoned judgments and solve problems; and
   
• Understand the importance of work and finance and how performance, effort, and decisions directly affect future career and educational opportunities.

Washington State Standards (OSPI)
Ready Washington Website

Washington State Learning Standards & Year of Adoption

• The Arts (2017)
• Computer Science (2018)
• Early Learning (birth through 3rd grade) (N/A)
• Educational Technology (2018)
• English Language Arts (2011)
• English Language Proficiency (2013)
• Environment and Sustainability (2009)
• Financial Education (2016)
• Health and Physical Education (2016)
• Mathematics (2011)
• Science (2013)
• Social Studies (2018)
• World Languages (2015)

Click here for our list of districtwide adopted curriculum for grades K-5

Click here for our list of districtwide adopted curriculum for grades 6-12

Comprehensive Sexual Health Education Advisory Team

A Comprehensive Sexual Health Education (CSHE) Advisory Team made up of parents and community members representing the elementary, middle and high school levels will meet throughout the curriculum adoption process to provide input and feedback. The group is working with a committee of health educators to adopt instructional materials that are age appropriate, medically and scientifically accurate and inclusive of all students following the state mandated requirements.

CSHE Advisory Team Documents

Overview Document
Health Standards and Grade Level Topics
Health Adoption Parent Preview Presentation
Curriculum Access Links
Curriculum Adoption Feedback Form (Due by May 17)

Background

Senate Bill 5395, passed by the Legislature and Washington voters in 2020, went into effect on Dec. 3, 2020. It requires all public schools to provide comprehensive sexual health education (CSHE) to be phased in for grades 4-12 by the 2022–23 school year. Grades K-3 will receive instruction in social-emotional learning beginning in 2022-2023. There is no sexual  health content required for students in grade K-3. Instruction must be consistent with Health Education K-12 Learning Standards, which provide a framework for comprehensive instruction and the provisions of the law. Instruction must also be age-appropriate, medically and scientifically accurate and inclusive of all students. The bill maintains the right for parents and guardians to opt their children out of sexual health education instruction at any time.

Timeline

2020-2021

• Prepare to incorporate age-appropriate instruction on affirmative consent and bystander training.

• Consult with parents and guardians, local communities, and the Washington State School Directors’ Association about CSHE.

2021-2022

• Instruction must include age-appropriate information about affirmative consent and bystander training.
• Explore curricula to provide comprehensive sexual health education in preparation for adoption.
• Evaluate and adopt new curriculum.

2022-2023

• Schools must provide social emotional learning (SEL) to students in grades K−3. There is no sexual health content required for students in grades K–3.
• Schools must begin providing CSHE at least once in grades 4−5, twice in grades 6-8 and 9-12
• Schools must inform the OSPI of any curricula used to provide comprehensive sexual health education and describe how their instruction aligns with the requirements of the bill.

Smarter Balanced is the test students take in grades 3-8 and in high school in Washington. The computer-based tests are designed to measure skills like research, listening and communicating reasoning. The tests require students to apply their knowledge to real-world problems, which will help them succeed after they graduate.

• Washington State Testing
   
• Smarter Balanced Assessment System (ELA and Mathematics)
   
• NWEA – MAP Assessment
   
• Acadience – DIBELS Assessment
   
• CogAT and NNAT — Assessment for Highly Capable Programs
   
• ASVAB — Assessment given at the high school level and is a pathway to graduation
   
• SAT and ACT — Assessment options at the high school level
   

learning standards By Grade Level

• Grades K-2
• Grades 3-5
• Grades 6-8
• Grades 9-12

Assessments

View and download by subject and grade level

ISTE Learning Standards for Students

Explore the Student Standards