Mathematics

The Indiana Academic Standards for Mathematics are the result of a process designed to identify, evaluate, synthesize, and create the highest quality, rigorous standards for Indiana students. The standards are designed to ensure that all Indiana students, upon graduation, are prepared for both college and career opportunities. In alignment with Indiana’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plan, the academic standards reflect the core belief that all students can achieve at a high level.

What are the Indiana Academic Standards?

The Indiana Academic Standards are designed to help educators, parents, students, and community members understand what students need to know and be able to do at each grade level, and within each content strand, in order to exit high school college and career ready. The academic standards should form the basis for strong Tier 1 instruction at each grade level and for each content area for all students, in alignment with Indiana’s vision for Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (MTSS). While the standards have identified the academic content or skills that Indiana students need to be prepared for both college and career, they are not an exhaustive list. Students require a wide range of physical, social, and emotional support to be successful. This leads to a second core belief outlined in Indiana’s ESSA plan that learning requires an emphasis on the whole child.

While the standards may be used as the basis for curriculum, the Indiana Academic Standards are not a curriculum. Curricular tools, including textbooks, are selected by the district/school and adopted through the local school board. However, a strong standards-based approach to instruction is encouraged, as most curricula will not align perfectly with the Indiana Academic Standards. Additionally, attention should be given at the district and school-level to the instructional sequence of the standards as well as to the length of time needed to teach each standard. Every standard has a unique place in the continuum of learning - omitting one will certainly create gaps - but each standard will not require the same amount of time and attention. A deep understanding of the vertical articulation of the standards will enable educators to make the best instructional decisions. The Indiana Academic Standards must also be complemented by robust, evidence-based instructional practices, geared to the development of the whole child. By utilizing well-chosen instructional practices, social-emotional competencies and employability skills can be developed in conjunction with the content standards.