What does a student learn in
Washington runs its own K-12 Learning Standards in every core subject, but the bones underneath ELA and math come from the Common Core. The state layers its own emphases on top, especially around tribal history and Pacific Northwest content, which is taught alongside US history rather than as an elective. Standards are reviewed on a rolling cycle by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.
- Washington K-12 Learning Standards
- What students learn
- Math follows the Common Core through eighth grade, then opens into a traditional high school sequence ending in Algebra II or an equivalent third-year course. Science is anchored in the Next Generation Science Standards, taught as something students do at a lab bench rather than memorize from a textbook. Social studies works in a long arc that ends with a required civics course, and Since Time Immemorial brings tribal sovereignty and history into the regular rotation.
- How students are measured
- Washington gives the Smarter Balanced Assessment in ELA and math in grades 3 through 8 and again in high school, with the Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science layered in at grades 5, 8, and 11. High schoolers also sit for a state civics assessment tied to their required course. Most of this testing happens in the spring window, with results returned to families over the summer.
Kindergarten
Grade 1
Grade 2
Grade 3
Grade 4
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
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Grade 11
Grade 12
- Subjects covered
- 4
- Grade levels
- 13
- Standards on file
- 2,879
- Assessments tracked
- 0
Does Washington use Common Core?
Yes, in the core subjects. The state's reading, writing, and math standards are built on the Common Core, with some Washington-specific adjustments. Science follows the Next Generation Science Standards, and social studies has its own state framework.
What's the spring state test, and who takes it?
Most students take the Smarter Balanced tests in reading and math in grades 3 through 8 and once in high school. Science has a separate test in grades 5, 8, and high school. Passing certain tests, or an approved alternative, is part of graduation.
Which subjects does Washington require schools to teach?
Schools must teach reading, writing, math, science, and social studies at every grade. Washington also requires health and fitness, the arts, and at least one course covering the history and government of Washington State. Computer science is encouraged but not required.
How often do the standards change?
The state reviews each subject area on a rolling cycle of roughly seven to ten years. Math and English were last refreshed in the mid-2010s, and science moved to the NGSS framework in 2013. Smaller updates to guidance documents happen more often than full rewrites.
Where can a parent see what students learn each year?
The grade-level pages on this site break the standards down by subject and grade. Each one lists what students are expected to read, write, calculate, or investigate that year, in plain language.