Wisconsin Model Academic Standards

Academic Standards--What are they?

Academic standards specify what students should know and be able to do, what they might be asked to do to give evidence of standards, and how well they must perform. They include content, performance, and proficiency standards.

• Content standards refer to what students should know and be able to do.
• Performance standards tell how students will show that they are meeting a standard.
• Proficiency standards indicate how well students must perform.

The links to the four core standards (left column) provide separate webpages for the content and performance standard of each subject at each grade and are designed to make it possible to individually copy particular sections of each of the four core standards. Other academic standard area files are in PDF.

Questions and Answers about Academic Standards

Relating the Academic Standards to All Students

Applying the Academic Standards Across the Curriculum

Task Force on Personal Financial Literacy Standards

Wisconsin's Model Academic Standards for Personal Financial Literacy set forth the knowledge, skills, and attitudes students need to understand and make informed decisions for themselves and their families. It is intended that these standards be infused into existing curriculum and instruction and lay the foundation for financially literate and responsible citizens. This electronic version of the standards also includes an extensive resource list and glossary. The printed form of these standards will be available in June 2006.

Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards (WMELS)

These standards have been developed by the state departments of Public Instruction, Health and Family Services, and Workforce Development. These standards reflect the shared values and commitments of the citizens of Wisconsin to prepare young children for success in school. The Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards have been enhanced to specify developmental expectations for children birth to first grade. The standards contain developmental domains, sub-domains, developmental expectations, performance standards, and program standards. This publication is available as a PDF. A developmental continuum has been added to provide a predictable but not rigid sequence of accomplishments which describe the progressive levels of performance in the order in which they emerge in most children, based on current research. The developmental continuum begins at an early developmental level and continues through developmental levels that would be typical of children entering first grade in each developmental domain.

Sample behaviors of children have been provided in each domain to provide "samples" of what children might do as they demonstrate accomplishments at each level. Sample strategies for adults have been provided in each domain to provide "examples" of what adults might do to assist the child to gain knowledge or learn skills at each level of the developmental continuum. The appendix has been expanded to provide additional resources for parents, providers, teachers, principals, and directors of early care and education collaborative programming.

For more information on WMELS, click here. This partner site has information on training, curriculum alignment, and a Q & A.

Executive Order 302 Related to the Creation of the Governor's Council on Model Academic Standards, dated January 24, 1997.

Executive Order 326 Related to the Approval and Issuance of Wisconsin's Model Academic Standards, dated January 13, 1998.

Publications has printed standards booklets and a CD-ROM version in Microsoft Word 6.0 available on all 18 standards.

For questions about this information, contact Michael George (608) 266-2364

Last updated on 4/16/2008 1:35:16 PM