English Language Arts and Math Essential Standards

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.

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.