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Learning Standards Standards

What does a student learn in ?

The District adopted the Common Core for reading, writing, and math in 2010, then layered the Next Generation Science Standards on top in 2013. The Office of the State Superintendent of Education writes the rest, pulling from national models for the arts, world languages, computer science, and PE. The social studies framework is older and still in use from 2006. Most of what gets taught in DC classrooms traces back to a national framework that DC has chosen to follow.

  • Office of the State Superintendent of Education (DC) — Arts (NCAS-aligned)
  • Office of the State Superintendent of Education (DC) — CTE / Career Ready Practices
  • Office of the State Superintendent of Education (DC) — Computer Science (K-12 CS-aligned)
  • Office of the State Superintendent of Education (DC) — Health Education (NHES-aligned)
  • Office of the State Superintendent of Education (DC) — Physical Education (SHAPE-aligned)
  • Office of the State Superintendent of Education (DC) — SEL (CASEL-aligned)
  • Office of the State Superintendent of Education (DC) — World Languages (ACTFL-aligned)
Source: District of Columbia DC Academic Content Standards
The shape of K-12
A plain-language read of how the state runs school.
What students learn
Reading and writing follow the Common Core from kindergarten through high school, so younger students work on close reading of short passages and older students build longer arguments with evidence from a text. Math runs on the same Common Core spine through eighth grade, then moves into Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II in high school. Science is taught as something students do, with experiments and models tied to the NGSS rather than chapters to memorize. The arts, world languages, and PE follow their national professional standards.
How students are measured
The DC CAPE is the spring test that matters most. Students in grades 3 through 8 sit for it in reading and math, and high schoolers take end-of-course versions in Algebra I and English II. Science gets its own computer-based test in fifth grade, eighth grade, and once after biology in high school. Every 11th grader takes the SAT School Day for free during the school day, and a sample of fourth, eighth, and twelfth graders sit for NAEP every couple of years.
Frameworks adopted, by subject
The standards documents the state writes against in each subject.
Subject Framework Adopted Source
Mathematics
DC Academic Content Standards
2010View
English Language Arts
DC Academic Content Standards
2010View
Science
DC Academic Content Standards
2013View
Social Studies
DC Academic Content Standards
2006View
Computer Science & Digital Fluency
Office of the State Superintendent of Education (DC) — Computer Science (K-12 CS-aligned)K-12 CS Framework-aligned
2016View
Arts: Visual Arts
Office of the State Superintendent of Education (DC) — Arts (NCAS-aligned)NCAS-aligned
2014View
Arts: Dance
Office of the State Superintendent of Education (DC) — Arts (NCAS-aligned)NCAS-aligned
2014View
Arts: Media Arts
Office of the State Superintendent of Education (DC) — Arts (NCAS-aligned)NCAS-aligned
2014View
Arts: Music
Office of the State Superintendent of Education (DC) — Arts (NCAS-aligned)NCAS-aligned
2014View
Arts: Theatre
Office of the State Superintendent of Education (DC) — Arts (NCAS-aligned)NCAS-aligned
2014View
World Languages
Office of the State Superintendent of Education (DC) — World Languages (ACTFL-aligned)ACTFL-aligned
2015View
Physical Education
Office of the State Superintendent of Education (DC) — Physical Education (SHAPE-aligned)SHAPE-aligned
2024View
Health Education
Office of the State Superintendent of Education (DC) — Health Education (NHES-aligned)NHES-aligned
2022View
Career Development & Occupational Studies
Office of the State Superintendent of Education (DC) — CTE / Career Ready PracticesCCTC-aligned
2012View
Social Emotional Learning
Office of the State Superintendent of Education (DC) — SEL (CASEL-aligned)CASEL-aligned
2020View
Assessments
The tests students take across K-12, grouped by purpose.

Other

Tests that do not fit the buckets above.

State Summative

DC CAPE: ELA/Literacy (Grades 3-8)

DC's spring summative test in reading and writing for grades 3 through 8, aligned to DC's Common Core-based ELA standards.

When given:
spring
Frequency:
annual
Official source
State Summative

DC CAPE: Mathematics (Grades 3-8)

DC's spring summative math test for grades 3 through 8, aligned to DC's Common Core-based math standards.

When given:
spring
Frequency:
annual
Official source
State Summative

DC CAPE: High School (Algebra I, English II)

End-of-course CAPE assessments in Algebra I and English II for high school accountability.

When given:
spring
Frequency:
by course completion
Official source
State Summative

DC Science Assessment (Grade 5)

Computer-based science assessment in grade 5, aligned to the NGSS-based DC Science Standards.

When given:
spring
Frequency:
annual
Official source
State Summative

DC Science Assessment (Grade 8)

Computer-based science assessment in grade 8, aligned to the NGSS-based DC Science Standards.

When given:
spring
Frequency:
annual
Official source
State Summative

DC Science Assessment (Biology)

DC Biology end-of-course assessment, administered once in high school after a biology course.

When given:
by course completion
Frequency:
once in high school
Official source
Alternate assessment

MSAA (Multi-State Alternate Assessment)

Alternate assessment for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, given in grades 3-8 and high school in ELA, math, and science.

When given:
spring
Frequency:
annual
Official source
National College Readiness

SAT School Day

DC administers the SAT School Day to all 11th-grade students free of charge as part of the District's college and career readiness measures.

When given:
spring
Frequency:
annual
Official source
National Monitoring

NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress)

Federally administered sample-based assessment in reading, mathematics, science, and writing. NAEP results inform state-by-state comparisons rather than individual student or school accountability.

When given:
biennial in winter
Frequency:
every two years
Official source
Browse by grade and subject
Pick a cell to see exactly what students learn that year.
Subjects covered
15
Grade levels
14
Standards on file
1,857
Assessments tracked
9
Most recent adoption
2024
Common questions
  • Does DC use Common Core?

    Yes. The reading, writing, and math standards are based on the Common Core, adopted in 2010. Science follows the Next Generation Science Standards, adopted in 2013.

  • What is the spring test, and who takes it?

    The main spring test is the DC CAPE, given in reading and math to students in grades 3 through 8. High schoolers take end-of-course CAPE tests in Algebra I and English II, and all 11th graders take the SAT School Day for free during the school day.

  • When do students take a science test?

    Science is tested less often than reading and math. Students take the DC Science Assessment in grade 5, grade 8, and once in high school after finishing a biology course.

  • What subjects beyond reading and math have DC standards?

    DC publishes standards for science, social studies, computer science, the arts (visual art, dance, media arts, music, and theatre), world languages, physical education, health, career and technical education, and social emotional learning. Most use national frameworks such as NGSS, NCAS, ACTFL, SHAPE, and CASEL.

  • How often does DC update its standards?

    Each subject runs on its own cycle through the Office of the State Superintendent of Education. Some frameworks date back to 2006 and 2010, while physical education was refreshed in 2024 and health in 2022. Expect updates every few years rather than all at once.

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

Frameworks

Assessments