What are State Academic Content Standards?
State academic content standards specify what students are expected to know and be able to do. NCLB requires that state standards be coherent and rigorous, encouraging the teaching of advanced skills. Every state must have strong content standards for each of the following subjects and grades or grade clusters: Reading: Grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10-12 Math: Grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10-12 Science: Elementary, middle school, and high school Each state determines its own content standards. The content standards must be the same for all students – including students with disabilities. All students should have access to and be assessed on their enrolled-grade-level content standards. In a standards-based IEP process, IEP team members need to thoroughly understand and use state content standards to ensure that IEP components are aligned. In a 2004 national survey, only seven states required that the IEPs of students with disabilities address state content standards and only 57 percent
