Learning Standards & Curriculum Go Further

Parents need to know that learning standards

set by individual States are different from
To learn more about State
curriculum created in schools or districts. Standards in New York, you
There are similarities between the two, but can visit the State
they are different in that one guides the
other. Curriculum is guided by learning
Department of Education
standards in an effort for schools across the website at
country be uniformed in what they teach. http://www.nysed.gov/
Let’s take a closer look.

Learning Standards, Common Core

Standards
In 2008, States decided that in order for
children in America to become globally
marketable and innovative, schools had to
be reformed (Bidwell, 2004). This reform
took place by the introduction of the
Common Core Standards. The Common
Core Standards outline certain skills in
Math, English Language and other K-12
subjects that children need to be taught in
schools across the country. This will better
prepare them for college or a career.
Therefore, if you want to know what your
child should be learning within a year, you
can refer to the State’s standards. Even
though the Federal Government does not set
standards, laws like the “Every Student
Succeeds Act” helps to influence standards
(Lee, n.d.). Learning Standards and
“After their passage in 2010, the vast
majority of states in the United States Curriculum.
adopted the Common Core State Standards
(CCSS)”
What you need to know.
Information for parents
(Greer, 2018)
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Curriculum
After standards are established, local
districts and schools can then develop
curriculum which is guided by state
standards. Curriculum is defined as a set of
topics/knowledge and content skills that
students are taught in school (Oh &
Rozycki, 2017).
Differences between standards &
curriculum
We can see that the biggest difference between
standards and curriculum is that while each state
sets standards, schools and local districts
establish curriculum. Standards guides the
creation of curricula in schools. A curriculum is
normally more detailed than learning standards,
in that it gives a full overview of what will be
taught to students over the entire grade year.
While standards set learning expectations,
curriculum explains content and how it will be
delivered. Curriculum helps teachers design
instructions and deliver same with the right
strategies.
Pre & Post Assessment
State standards and curriculum impacts teachers’
instructional strategies. However, each child is
unique and learn differently than others. In addition,
not every child is on the same developmental level
as others. To determine this, pre and post assessing
comes into play. Pre-assessment is defined as an
exploration as to what children already know. It is
“administered before students begin a lesson, unit,
course, or academic program.” While post-
assessment or summative assessment can be defined
as an exploration into what children have learnt after
teaching (Assessment, 2015). These 2 assessments
help teachers plan accordingly for each student,
based on the results of the assessments.
Individualization
Your child’s individual needs will be supported by
the teacher. Schools are mandated to provide
services to students with disabilities to help them
achieve learning standards (Lee, n.d.). Every student
with the help of assessments, will determine what is
developmentally appropriate for them to be taught
and how. This is one of few responsibilities of your
child’s teacher.
“The New York State Education Department
is responsible for setting student learning
expectations (standards) for what all students
should know and be able to do as a result of
skilled instruction. Each local school district
develops curricula based on these established
standards” (Curriculum & Instruction, n.d.).
Reference
Assessment (2015, November 10). Retrieved from
https://www.edglossary.org/assessment/
Bidwell, A. (2014, February 27). The history of the
common core standards. Retrieved from
https://www.usnews.com/news/special-
reports/articles/2014/02/27/the-history-of-common-
core-state-standards
Curriculum & Instruction (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.nysed.gov/curriculum-instruction
Lee, A.M.I, (n.d.). State academic standards: What
you need to know. Retrieved from
https://www.understood.org/en/school-
learning/partnering-with-childs-school/tests-
standards/state-academic-standards-what-you-need-
to-know
Oh, L. & Rozycki, R. (2017, August 8). What exactly
is curriculum? Retrieved from
https://www.edelements.com/blog/what-exactly-is-
curriculum