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: December 2025: Bulletin No. B057-25.

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:

Learning Standards

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 is open through mid-February. Please use the initial standards in your local context and then respond to the survey.

Washington State K-12 Learning Standards for Math

Questions about the Initial Math Learning Standards? Join us for Open Office Hours

Financial Education

Learning standards for Financial Education are currently in the Engagement and Revision phase and are now available for public comment. The draft learning standards are available in a Word, PDF and an Excel format. The Excel file contains a crosswalk to the previous standards adopted in 2016. A public comment survey is open until mid-February 2026. Please read the draft standards and then respond to the survey.

Washington State K-12 Learning Standards for Financial Education

Social Studies

Learning standards for Social Studies are now officially under review. The first step in the review is an educator and stakeholder survey. The survey asks about the current Social Studies standards, including: how they are used, which of them should be prioritized, and what resources would help educators use the standards more effectively. There is also a place to make suggestions for improvements to the current Social Studies standards. The survey is open until mid-February 2026.

Washington State K-12 Learning Standards for Social Studies

English Language (ELA)

Learning standards for English Language Arts (ELA) will be in the Initial Adoption and Implementation phase in February 2026. 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 will be open starting in mid-February.

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.

Informational Standards Review Webinars

Drafts of the learning standards for ELA, mathematics, and science were available for public comment from August 16 through September 27, 2024. For more information:

Previous Webinar Materials

Updates and materials will be posted as the project progresses.