English Language Arts and Math Essential Standards

The Arizona Department of Education (ADE) requests input and feedback from educators and the public regarding the identification of Essential Standards. These Essential Standards will receive heightened emphasis and reporting within their standards groups, or “clusters” through the annual Arizona Academic Standards Assessment (AASA) exam, beginning in the 2025-2026 school year. 

BACKGROUND

Beginning in November 2024, ADE organized an effort to identify Essential Standards for the annual AASA exams for grades three through eight. ADE took this action in response to feedback from district leaders that additional focus, direction and feedback were needed to optimize student performance and the annual state exams. This document conveys the results of that effort for public input. 

WHAT ARE ESSENTIAL STANDARDS?

Essential Standards are individual standards selected to receive a greater proportion of questions on the AASA exams. The AASA exams, administered for grades three through eight, are developed based on a Standards Blueprint that groups individual standards into clusters and identifies an allocation of questions for each cluster. The identified Essential Standards will receive the maximum allowable number of questions allowed by the standards blueprint.

Note that ALL standards will continue to be included in the test design of the annual state exams. 

THE PROCESS 

ADE issued a call to educators in October 2024 to assemble teams of ELA and Math reviewers for each grade. Reviewers collaboratively identified standards most essential for student progress based on foundational knowledge and progression. Twelve reports were generated: six for Math and six for English Language Arts. 

REPORTING

The AASA exam results will be reported in a new format in which essential standards will be represented. Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year identified essential standards, from the existing State Board of Education-approved standards for ELA and math, in grades three through eight will have a higher proportion of items on the statewide assessment, keeping within the current blueprint adopted by the State Board of Education. 

ALL STANDARDS WILL BE ASSESSED 

The identified Essential Standards are targeted for emphasis, indicating that there could be a higher proportion of questions on those standards in the AASA. The state assessment will retain the same length and duration. ALL STANDARDS remain valid and subject to inclusion in each year’s AASA. 

Arizona English Language Arts Standards

ELA Grade 3 ELA Grade 4 ELA Grade 5 

ELA Grade 6 ELA Grade 7 ELA Grade 8

Arizona Mathematics Standards

Math Grade 3  Math Grade 4 Math Grade 5 

Math Grade 6 Math Grade 7 Math Grade 8

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