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Learning Standards Standards

What does a student learn in ?

Alaska sets its own course in every subject rather than adopting a national framework. The state rewrote its English and math standards in the wake of the Common Core debates and kept ownership of science and social studies too. That independence reflects a practical reality. Schools here range from large urban districts to villages reachable only by plane, and the standards have to work in both.

  • Alaska Standards
Source: Alaska Alaska Standards
The shape of K-12
A plain-language read of how the state runs school.
What students learn
English and math follow Alaska's own standards from kindergarten through high school, with reading, writing, and number sense built up year by year. Science is taught as something students investigate, with Alaska's framework leaving room for the land, weather, and wildlife students actually see. Social studies runs through geography, history, and government, with Alaska Native history woven in alongside US and world content.
How students are measured
Alaska does not have a single statewide spring test listed on this page. Districts handle most measurement through their own benchmark assessments and classroom work tied to the state standards. Students in tested grades still sit for federally required checks in reading, math, and science, but the day-to-day picture of how a student is doing comes from teachers and local data rather than one big exam in May.
Frameworks adopted, by subject
The standards documents the state writes against in each subject.
Subject Framework Adopted Source
English Language Arts
Alaska Standards
—View
Mathematics
Alaska Standards
—View
Science
Alaska Standards
—View
Social Studies
Alaska Standards
—View
Browse by grade and subject
Pick a cell to see exactly what students learn that year.
Subjects covered
4
Grade levels
13
Standards on file
2,924
Assessments tracked
0
Common questions
  • Does Alaska use Common Core?

    Alaska adopted its own standards in reading, writing, and math back in 2012. They draw on Common Core in places, but the state made its own changes and is not a Common Core state today.

  • What test do students take in the spring?

    Alaska has used a few different statewide tests over the past decade, and the specific assessment has changed more than once. Check the state Department of Education site for the current spring test, who takes it, and in which subjects.

  • Which subjects have state standards?

    Alaska has adopted standards in English language arts, math, science, and social studies. Districts also teach other subjects like art, health, and physical education, but those follow local guidance rather than a single statewide framework.

  • How often do the standards change?

    The state Board of Education reviews each subject on a rolling cycle, usually every several years. Changes go through public comment before adoption, so big shifts in what students learn happen slowly rather than year to year.

  • Where can a parent see what students learn each year?

    The grade-level pages on this site list the standards for each subject and grade in plain language. Pick a grade and subject to see what students are expected to know by the end of the year.

Sources
Every page link goes back to the state's own document.

Frameworks