California Common Core State Standards and California Content Standards

California, United States

A comprehensive set of academic standards for California public schools, incorporating the Common Core State Standards for ELA and Mathematics, the Next Generation Science Standards (CA NGSS), and the California History-Social Science Content Standards. These standards define the knowledge and skills students should acquire at each grade level to be college and career ready.

California Common Core State Standards and California Content Standards

A comprehensive set of academic standards for California public schools, incorporating the Common Core State Standards for ELA and Mathematics, the Next Generation Science Standards (CA NGSS), and the California History-Social Science Content Standards. These standards define the knowledge and skills students should acquire at each grade level to be college and career ready.

Governing Body: California Department of Education (CDE)

Year Adopted: 2010 (ELA/Math), 2013 (Science), 1998 (History-Social Science)

Grade Levels Covered

Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5, Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8, Grades 9-10, Grades 11-12

English Language Arts & Literacy

Kindergarten

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.1 Reading: Literature

With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.

Key skills: Questioning, Detail identification, Textual evidence
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.1 Reading: Foundational Skills

Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print.

Key skills: Print concepts, Directionality, Letter recognition

Grade 5

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.1 Reading: Informational Text

Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

Key skills: Quoting, Inferencing, Evidence-based analysis
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.1 Writing

Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.

Key skills: Persuasive writing, Organizational structure, Supporting evidence

Grade 8

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.1 Reading: Literature

Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

Key skills: Critical analysis, Citing evidence, Complex inferencing

Mathematics

Kindergarten

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.CC.A.1 Counting and Cardinality

Count to 100 by ones and by tens.

Key skills: Rote counting, Skip counting by 10s
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.OA.A.1 Operations and Algebraic Thinking

Represent addition and subtraction with objects, fingers, mental images, drawings, sounds, acting out situations, verbal explanations, expressions, or equations.

Key skills: Mathematical modeling, Basic arithmetic, Representation

Grade 5

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.5.NBT.A.1 Number and Operations in Base Ten

Recognize that in a multi-digit number, a digit in one place represents 10 times as much as it represents in the place to its right and 1/10 of what it represents in the place to its left.

Key skills: Place value understanding, Decimal systems, Powers of 10
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.5.NF.A.1 Number and Operations—Fractions

Add and subtract fractions with unlike denominators (including mixed numbers) by replacing given fractions with equivalent fractions in such a way as to produce an equivalent sum or difference of fractions with like denominators.

Key skills: Fraction equivalence, Common denominators, Mixed number arithmetic

Grade 8

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.EE.C.7 Expressions and Equations

Solve linear equations in one variable.

Key skills: Algebraic manipulation, Variable isolation, Equation solving

Science (CA NGSS)

Kindergarten

K-PS2-1 Physical Science

Plan and conduct an investigation to compare the effects of different strengths or different directions of pushes and pulls on the motion of an object.

Key skills: Scientific investigation, Forces and motion, Observation

Grade 5

5-PS1-1 Physical Science

Develop a model to describe that matter is made of particles too small to be seen.

Key skills: Modeling, Particle theory, Abstract reasoning
5-ESS1-1 Earth and Space Science

Support an argument that differences in the apparent brightness of the sun compared to other stars is due to their relative distances from the Earth.

Key skills: Argument from evidence, Scale and proportion, Astronomy

Grade 8

MS-LS1-1 Life Science

Conduct an investigation to provide evidence that living things are made of cells; either one cell or many different numbers and types of cells.

Key skills: Microscopy, Cell theory, Evidence collection

History-Social Science

Kindergarten

HSS-K.1 Learning and Working Now and Long Ago

Students understand that being a good citizen involves acting in certain ways.

Key skills: Civic responsibility, Rule following, Honesty and courage

Grade 5

HSS-5.2 United States History: Making a New Nation

Students trace the routes of early explorers and describe the early explorations of the Americas.

Key skills: Map skills, Historical chronology, Cultural exchange

Grade 8

HSS-8.1 United States History and Geography: Continuity and Change

Students analyze the significant events in the founding of the nation and its attempts to realize the philosophy of government described in the Declaration of Independence.

Key skills: Constitutional analysis, Political philosophy, Historical cause and effect

Implementation Notes

California implements these standards using a 'Framework' approach, which provides instructional guidance and 'snapshots' of classroom practice. The Mathematics standards include specific 'California Additions' that are often noted in italics in official documents. For Science, California follows the Integrated Model for middle school (Grades 6-8) unless a district opts for a discipline-specific model.

Assessment

Student achievement is primarily assessed through the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) system, which includes the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments for ELA and Mathematics and the California Science Test (CAST) for Science. History-Social Science is typically assessed at the local level, though it is integrated into the ELA/Literacy assessments.

About This Standard
Added:
January 14, 2026

This standard was generated using AI with grounded search to find official, accurate information. While we strive for accuracy, please verify important details with official sources.

More from United States

Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) - Education Standards

Maryland

College and Career Readiness (CCR) Anchor Standards
Florida’s Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (B.E.S.T.) Standards

Florida

See something inaccurate?

This content was generated by AI using official sources. If you notice any errors or have suggestions for improvement, please let us know.

Send Feedback