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.

Regional Coordinators from our ESDs are hosting learning standards feedback sessions during April and May 2024. Attendees will review draft versions of the revised learning standards. Each event begins with introductions to the project by OSPI staff, and provides opportunities for individual and group feedback to be submitted directly to OSPI. Select the content area to find more information and links to register for the events:

Standards Review Project Summary

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. 
  • Washington Learning Standards Review Timeline
Washington’s learning standards for English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics were adopted in 2011, and Science were adopted in 2013, and are now due for review. The ELA (along with the parallel SLA standards used in Spanish literacy instruction in Spanish-English dual-language programs), Math, and Science learning standards will be reviewed starting in the 2022–23 school year! Washington educators have gained valuable experience with the standards since they began teaching with them. That experience will be integral to this review.

Phase 1: Reflection

  • 12/1/22 Consultation with Dual Language Steering Committee
  • 12/9/22 Consultation with Multilingual Education Advisory Committee
  • 2/8/23–2/22/23 Teachers surveyed about ELA, SLA, math, and science standards
  • Late February 2023, District curriculum directors surveyed about ELA, SLA, math, and science standards.

Phase 2: Review Standards

Phase 2 is a review of ELA, SLA, Math, and Science Standards (March 2023–July 2024).

Upcoming Informational Standards Review Webinars

April 18, 2024 3:00 pm Register

Previous Webinar Materials

Updates and materials will be posted as the project progresses.