Skip to main content

Arizona Department of Education Facebook Page

Arizona Department of Education LinkedIn Page

Arizona Department of Education Instagram

Arizona Department of Education Twitter

mobile menu
Arizona Department of Education Homepage
  • Home
  • Students & Families
    • Adult Education
    • Early Childhood & Preschool
    • Empowerment Scholarship Account
    • Parents & Families
    • Military Career Information
    • U.S. Senate Youth Scholarship Program
    • School Report Cards
    • Transcripts & Test Scores
    • Achievement Tutoring
  • Educators
    • Academic Standards
    • Assessment
    • Career & Technical Education
    • Certification & Career
    • Post-Secondary & ECAP
    • Public Educator Search
    • Support & Improvement Resources
    • Training & Professional Development
  • Administrators
    • Accountability
    • Effective Teachers & Leaders (Trainings)
    • School & Student Data
    • School Finance
    • School Support & Improvement
    • State & Federal Grants
    • Training & Conferences
  • Programs & Supports
    • Afterschool & 21st Century Learning Centers
    • Academic Achievement
    • Effective Teachers & Leaders (Trainings)
    • English Learners | OELAS & Migrant Education Program
    • Gifted & Advanced Learning
    • Health & Nutrition Services
    • Homeless, Foster Care, & Refugee Programs
    • Educational Technology
    • Office of Indian Education
    • School Safety & Social Wellness
    • Special Education
  • About ADE
    • About the Department
    • News Releases
    • Contact Us
    • Critical Race Theory Explained
    • Information Technology
    • Data Governance
    • Events
    • State Board of Education
    • State Board for Charter Schools
    • Submit a Complaint
  • ADEConnect
    • ADEConnect
    • Common Logon
  • Search
  • Home
  • K-12 Academic Standards
  • Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

  • General FAQs
  • Professional Development FAQs
  • Content Specific | Standards FAQs
Misc FAQs
Where can I find my student’s transcript?

The Arizona Department of Education does not maintain copies of Diplomas or Transcripts.  For a closed District school, please contact the District Office. For a closed Charter school, please contact the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools 

Professional Development FAQs
Could you show me how to utilize ADE's Event Management System (EMS)?

Please view the following document.

I went to a webinar facilitated by the Department of Education; how can I download my Certificate of Participation for that webinar?

If you registered through ADE’s EMS (Events Management System) you should have received an email with a link to take a survey. If you did not receive this link please review this EMS document for instructions on downloading your certificate.

For questions regarding registration, certificates, accessing courses, etc. please refer to our EMS Participant Guide:

 

Standards
What is the difference between Curriculum and Standards?

Standards outline what a student needs to know, understand, and be able to do by the end of each grade. Standards build across grade levels in a progression of increasing understanding and through a range of cognitive demand levels. Standards are adopted at the state level by the State Board of Education (A.R.S. §§15-701 and 15-701.01). Arizona retains authority to approve and modify academic standards; there is no federal law requiring the adoption of specific standards.

Curriculum includes all the resources used for teaching and learning the standards (textbooks, reading material, lesson plans). Curriculum is adopted at a local level by districts and schools. Neither the State Board nor the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) has the authority to adopt or mandate school curriculum. Under A.R.S. §§15-721 and 15-722, local governing boards (both district and charter) have the sole authority to adopt curriculum via public meetings, allowing for community input regarding what instructional materials are used in classrooms.

I am looking for some clarification on the academic standards versus competencies. Can you please explain the difference between the two?

Standards detail what a student needs to know, understand, and be able to do by the end of each grade. Standards build across grade levels in a progression of increasing understanding and through a range of cognitive demand levels. Standards are adopted at the state level by the State Board of Education. They are required to be implemented by schools. Courses in schools are based on the standards. For example, no matter what high school a student attends, his/her freshman English class will teach the same standards. Standards can be taught using different curricula and instructional methods, as those are determined at the district/school level, but the standards are the same for the whole state.

Competencies prescribe best practices in specific areas, such as Arizona’s Social-Emotional Competencies, but they are not required by statute. Competencies allow school systems to adopt and implement in a manner that is tailored to the specific needs of the students and community. 

Where do I find Specific standards?

Please click on the following links to take you directly to each page.

Arts Education - Computer Science - Educational Technology - English Language Arts - Mathematics - Health Education Other Standards - Physical Education - Science - Social Emotional Competencies - Social Studies - World & Native Languages

  • Academic Standards Overview
  • Academic Standards
    • Arts Standards
    • Computer Science
    • Educational Technology
    • English Language Arts
    • Health Standards
    • History and Social Science
    • Mathematics
    • Physical Ed. Standards
    • Science
    • World and Native Languages
  • Diploma Seals Information
  • Early Childhood Education
    • Early Childhood Team
    • ECE Professional Learning
    • Head Start
    • Preschool
    • Publications & Manuals
    • Family Engagement
  • Literacy
    • Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grant​
    • Dyslexia
    • Early Literacy Grant
    • K-5 Literacy Endorsement
    • Literacy Professional Learning
    • Move On When Reading
    • Secondary Literacy (Middle and HS)
    • Science of Reading
  • Additional Programs and Resources
    • Balanced Assessment Resources
    • Civics Education Resources
    • Diploma Seals
    • Formative Assessment Resources
    • Get SET for STEM
    • Holocaust and Genocide
  • PAEMST (Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching)
  • Grants
    • Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grant​
    • Computer Science Professional Development Grant
    • Early Literacy Grant
    • State Tutoring Grant
  • Professional Learning and Events
    • ADE Calendar of Events
    • Professional Development
  • Connected Programs
    • Assessment
    • Career & Technical Education
    • Certification
    • Exceptional Student Services
    • Office of English Language Acquisition Services (OELAS)
    • Teacher Recruitment and Retention
    • Title IV-A
    • Well Rounded Education
  • High School Graduation Information
    • Diploma Seals
    • Graduation Requirements
  • Standard Resources
    • Computer Science Resources
    • Ed. Tech. Resources
    • ELA Resources
    • Math Resources
    • Physical Education Resources
    • Science and STEM Resources
    • Social Studies Resources
    • World and Native Languages Resources
  • Post-Secondary
  • View Archived Newsletters

Contact

  • Academic Standards Front Desk
  • (602) 364-2333
  • [email protected]
  • Click the subscribe button below to receive content area updates
  • Subscribe
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Certification
  • Privacy Policy
  • School Report Cards
  • State Board of Education
  • State Board for Charter Schools
  • Web Accessibility

© 2023 Arizona Department of Education

  • Statewide Policies
  • Site Map