The power of Colorado’s education improvement efforts lies in having a comprehensive system consisting of relevant and rigorous standards, aligned and meaningful assessments, excellent teachers and school leaders, and high-performing schools and districts. All aspects of the system are continuously improving to advance student learning and prepare students to succeed in an increasingly competitive workforce The Colorado Academic Standards are the expectations of what students need to know and be able to do at the end of each grade. They also stand as the values and content organizers of what Colorado sees as the future skills and essential knowledge for our next generation to be more successful. State standards are the basis of the annual state assessment.

Colorado has 10 content areas:

• Colorado Arts
• Music
• Visual Arts
• Theatre
• Dance
• Comprehensive Health and Physical Education
• Mathematics
• Reading, Writing, and Communicating
• Science
• Social Studies
• World Languages