Washington State Learning Standards Review

Learning standards define what all students need to know and be able to do at each grade level. As required by state law (RCW 28A.655.070), OSPI develops the state’s learning standards and periodically revises them based on the student learning goals in RCW 28A.150.210.

Update to the Learning Standards Review Project: March 2026: Bulletin No. B006-26

Standards Review Project

OSPI has launched the Washington State Learning Standards Review project to:

• Establish a process to periodically review the state learning standards, and how those standards are used at a classroom, school, and district level to support student learning. 
• Refine and prioritize the learning standards with a lens of clarification, integration, and understandability. 
• Develop wrap-around guidance that clarifies for educators the opportunities within the learning standards for cultural responsiveness, inclusionary practices, universal design, support for multilingual learners, social-emotional learning, cross-content integration, and standards-based assessment practices. 
• Develop an implementation plan for the following two to five years to help educators learn about and use the new resources and tools. 

Learning Standards Review FAQs

This page contains frequently asked questions about the Learning Standards Review and Revision Project. It will be updated periodically. 

Below are links to key documents that provide more information about the project:

• Washington Review Learning Standards Timeline (updated March 2026): This file outlines the multi-year timeline for reviewing, revising, adopting, and implementing Washington’s learning standards across subject areas from 2024–2030.
• Washington Learning Standards Review and Revision Engagement: The multiple partners and stakeholders involved in the learning standards review and revision process.

Learning Standards

English Language (ELA)

Learning standards for English Language Arts (ELA) are now in the Initial Adoption and Implementation phase. The learning standards will be available in a Word, PDF and an Excel format. The Excel file contains a crosswalk to the Common Core State Standards adopted in 2011. Other documents released with the initial adoption of learning standards are the Key Shift in the Standards and What's New in the Standards. A feedback survey is open through May 3 2026. Please use the initial standards in your local context and then respond to the survey.

Washington State K-12 Standards for ELA

• What's New in the ELA Standards
• Key Shifts in the ELA Standards
• Initial ELA Learning Standards
• Initial ELA Learning Standards
• Initial ELA Learning Standards
• Initial Adoption Survey - survey will be open until May 3rd

Resources

• ELA LS Technical Support Activities

2026 ELA Learning Standards Open Office Hours 

Join open office hours to ask questions and discuss the ELA Learning Standards. You can find the different subjects, dates and times and meeting links below. 

• What’s New and Key Shifts in the 2026 ELA Learning Standards | Webinar
• The Reading Domain in the 2026 ELA Learning Standards | Webinar
• The Writing Domain in the 2026 ELA Learning Standards | Webinar
• The Language Domain in the 2026 ELA Learning Standards

April 15, 4 p.m. – The Speaking, Listening, and Digital Forums Domain in the 2026 ELA Learning Standards

• Join the April 15 Webinar (Zoom)

April 22, 3 p.m. – The Research and Media Literacy Domain in the 2026 ELA Learning Standards

• Join the April 22 Webinar (Zoom)

World Languages, Health Education, Physical Education, and Science

Washington adopted learning standards for World Languages in 2015, for Health Education and Physical Education in 2016, and for Science in 2013. These standards are in the Engagement and Revision step.

Washington State K-12 Learning Standards for Health Education

SHAPE WA is hosting educator feedback events on the drafted K-12 Health Learning Standards. The feedback events will focus on the priority standards identified at each grade band and supports needed for educators to implement the standards once finalized. Both meetings will be the same content, so educators only need to attend one.

March 31, 7–8 p.m. – Join the Zoom meeting

April 14, 7–8 p.m. – Join the Zoom meeting

Both sessions use the same Zoom link.

Mathematics

Learning standards for Mathematics are now in the Initial Adoption and Implementation phase. The initial learning standards are available in a Word, PDF and an Excel format. The Excel file contains a crosswalk to the Common Core State Standards adopted in 2011. Other documents released with the initial adoption of learning standards are the Key Shift in the Standards and What's New in the Standards. A feedback survey was open from December 2025 - February 2026.

Washington State K-12 Learning Standards for Math

• What's New in the Math Standards
• Initial Math Learning Standards
• Initial Math Learning Standards
• Initial Math Learning Standards (Version 2.0, March 2026)
• Key Shifts in the Math Standards
• Initial Math Standards Survey is now closed

Resources

• Mathematics Learning Standards (2025) Key Shifts and What's New (Video)
• Key Shifts and What's New
• Mathematics (2025) Data Science Learning Standards Overview (Video) 
• Data Science Learning Standards Overview
• Using Math Learning Standards Spreadsheet (Video)
• Math Learning Standards Technical Support Activities

Topic Focused Math Learning Standards Webinars

These will be recorded and posted on the website the following week for those that can't attend live.

• Understanding the updates and the organization of the high school learning standards.
  • Updates to High School Math Standards | Webinar
• Math Fluency: Understanding language revisions of efficient, flexible, and accurate mathematical strategies.
  • Fluency in the Standards | Webinar
• Data Science - A look at the new data science standards.
  • Data Science Examples | Webinar
• Math Domains - Understanding the new organization and arrangement of the math standards into four domains: Data Analysis, Quantity, Relationships, and Spatial Reasoning.
  • Overview of New Domains | Webinar
• How to Connect WIDA standards with math instruction.
  • WIDA Connections in the Standards | Webinar
• Transition to Kindergarten (TK) Math Learning Standards Feedback Opportunity - Participants will review the proposed TK Math Learning Standards and provide feedback.

Financial Education

Learning standards for Financial Education are currently in the Engagement and Revision phase. The draft learning standards are available in a Word, PDF, and Excel formats. The Excel file contains a crosswalk to the previous standards adopted in 2016. A public comment survey was open December 2025 - February 2026. These standards are now being revised based on public comments received. Initial adoption will be the next step. 

Washington State K-12 Learning Standards for Financial Education

• Summary of Financial Education Standards Changes
• Draft Financial Education Learning Standards
• Draft Financial Education Learning Standards
• Draft Financial Education Learning Standards Crosswalk
• Draft Financial Education Standards Public Comment Survey is now closed

Updates and materials will be posted as the project progresses.