Are State Standards Really That Important?
Short answer? Yes. State academic standards are an important tool for homeschooling families. But like with any tool, they are only useful if you know how and when to use them. A hammer is a great tool if you are building a treehouse, but not so much if you are trying to unscrew a light switch plate! Let’s look at some examples of how state standards can help you on your homeschool journey:
1. Vertical articulation. What?! Vertical articulation is a way to look at a progression of skills to be learned over a long period of time so that a student gains necessary foundational knowledge before moving forward in the process. For example, when learning math it is best to learn how to add quantities together before learning how to multiply. State standards are quite literally designed to assist teachers with knowing in what order to teach different skills. So, a set of literacy standards might indicate teaching basic consonant and short vowel sounds in kindergarten, long vowel and digraph spelling patterns in 1st grade, and grammatical suffixes in 2nd grade. Do you have to teach those things to your child at those grade levels? No – but you should consider teaching those skills in that order. Vertical articulation helps ensure that your child learns skills in a sequence that will enable success. It is used at a big picture level to set goals for a semester or a year based on what will be needed to move to the next step.
2. Pacing and balance. Knowing what your child’s peers are expected to have mastered can be helpful in planning your next move. For example, if your child is at or beyond where s/he “needs” to be in reading, but a little behind where s/he should be in math, you can choose to relax a little on reading for a month and increase time spent on math mastery. Customizing your child’s educational journey is a main reason many families choose to homeschool. Knowing state standards for your child’s grade level can help you decide if and where you need to increase time and/or energy spent. It can also help you determine how significantly “behind” or “ahead” your child is.
3. Matching developmental stage. State standards are organized so that certain skills and concepts are taught at a time when most children’s typical brain development is ready to grasp the new material. In theory. While this is somewhat subjective and problematic, it is something to keep in the back of your mind when trying to decide how quickly to move through a skillset.
4. Catching potential gaps. Do you need to teach social studies or science topics in the order or at the same grade level as state standards outline? Nope. But you don’t want to have your child get to 6th grade and realize you accidentally skipped world geography or the water cycle. I had two children, three years apart. We did art, social studies, and science units as a family; I just adjusted lessons and projects so that my 3rd grader and kindergartener were working at their own grade levels. We covered everything - when it worked for us! Also, if you end up with intentional gaps (you choose to not cover certain topics), knowing state standards will help you anticipate potential future needs.
5. Helping select curriculum. Most curriculum sets include connections to academic standards. Typically, they will reference Common Core national standards so that you know what to expect in terms of scope or sequence and content. This can help with decoding exactly what you are getting before making a purchase.
There are also a few academic standards “Don’ts.”
Don’t obsess over them! They are a great resource as starting points or even as checking them against plans you have already made. Think of them as a means to an end, not an end no matter the means. If you are brainstorming for the following year, pull them out and take a look. You might choose to draw from them, or they might inspire a different idea.
Don’t use them as a gauge for success. Think of them as general guidelines – especially for younger children. All children develop at different paces up to about age seven. If you notice significant differences in your child’s progress and you are concerned, you can always check in with your pediatrician to take a closer look at expected developmental milestones. Checking every box each year is not necessary for you or for your child to consider the year successful!
Don’t ignore them…. depending on what sort of documentation you are required or choosing to keep, state standards are your best bet for “speaking the language” that will be expected. Better that you do the translating – not the administrator who is reading it!
It feels like historically there has always been a little pushback from homeschool families against government academic standards. I get it. We homeschool because we want to decide what is best for our family. Rather than thinking of them as someone telling you what to do, think of them as templates that you customize and improve to simplify the planning process and provide details you might have otherwise missed.