Notice of Academic Standards

More about this notification: In accordance with Wisconsin Statutes section 120.12(13), our district annually notifies families of the pupil academic standards that will be in effect for the upcoming school year. These standards, adopted under Wisconsin Statutes section 118.30, outline what students are expected to know and be able to do at each grade level and in each subject area.

Academic Standards

The District’s academic standards identify what students should know and be able to do within a given content area or subject. Standards serve as goals and guideposts for both classroom instruction and student learning. The standards also help parents and students gain a better understanding of the District’s expectations for student learning. 

Academic standards provide a critical foundation and framework for the District’s sequential curriculum plans and for the District’s student assessments in each content area. The District reviews Wisconsin state standards, other states’ standards, and professional organization standards as it develops local standards for the District; the District develops standards locally to support our students’ learning. The standards are not an actual classroom curriculum. The curriculum that the District’s schools implement in the various content areas remains flexible and adaptable, and there are many different instructional techniques and activities that could all be consistent with the District’s academic standards.

Stated another way, academic standards attempt to identify and focus on the most essential and fundamental aspects of student learning, but they do not attempt to describe all that can or should be taught. A great deal is left to the discretion of curriculum developers and teachers. In addition, the District’s adoption and use of academic standards should not be confused with the standardized testing of students. While the District implements various state and federal testing mandates and also implements various locally-selected student assessments, the District’s academic standards do not mandate the use of any specific standardized test or assessment.

Why does the District have academic standards? 

State law requires all school districts, charter schools, and certain private schools to adopt academic standards in mathematics, science, reading and writing, geography, and history. 

What are the academic standards that will be in effect during this school year? 

State law requires the District to provide the parents and guardians of all enrolled students with notice of the academic standards in mathematics, science, reading and writing, geography, and history that have been adopted by the School Board and that will be in effect during each school year.

Our district standards are available within the Curriculum listings, providing an overview of learning expectations at each grade level and subject area.

Families may review the full, published Board-approved curriculum for this subject area at any time. If you would like to access detailed curriculum guides, materials, or learning standards, please contact the Curriculum Lead, and we will be happy to provide the information upon request.