Pennsylvania Academic Standards and PA Core Standards

Pennsylvania, United States

A comprehensive set of learning expectations designed to ensure students are college and career ready. It includes the PA Core Standards for English Language Arts and Mathematics, and Academic Standards for other subjects including the newly adopted STEELS standards for Science.

Pennsylvania Core Standards and Pennsylvania Academic Standards

A comprehensive set of learning expectations designed to ensure students are college and career ready. It includes the PA Core Standards for English Language Arts and Mathematics, and Academic Standards for other subjects including the newly adopted STEELS standards for Science.

Governing Body: Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE)

Year Adopted: 2013 (PA Core ELA/Math); 2022 (STEELS Science)

Grade Levels Covered

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

English Language Arts (PA Core)

Kindergarten

CC.1.2.K.A Reading Informational Text

With prompting and support, identify the main topic and retell key details of a text.

Key skills: identifying main topic, retelling details, text comprehension
CC.1.4.K.A Writing

Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory texts.

Key skills: informative writing, expressive drawing, organization of ideas

Grade 3

CC.1.2.3.B Reading Informational Text

Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.

Key skills: text-based evidence, critical questioning, inferencing
CC.1.3.3.A Reading Literature

Determine the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text.

Key skills: identifying theme, character analysis, summarizing

Grade 8

CC.1.2.8.B Reading Informational Text

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: strong evidence citation, analytical thinking, complex inferencing
CC.1.4.8.C Writing

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

Key skills: argumentative writing, logical reasoning, persuasive techniques

High School (9-12)

CC.1.3.9-10.A Reading Literature

Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text.

Key skills: thematic development, literary analysis, textual synthesis

Mathematics (PA Core)

Kindergarten

CC.2.1.K.A.1 Numbers and Operations

Know number names and write and recite the count sequence.

Key skills: counting to 100, number recognition, writing numerals

Grade 4

CC.2.1.4.C.1 Numbers and Operations - Fractions

Extend the understanding of fractions to show equivalence and ordering.

Key skills: equivalent fractions, comparing fractions, fraction models

Grade 8

CC.2.2.8.B.3 Algebraic Concepts

Analyze and solve linear equations and systems of two linear equations.

Key skills: solving for x, systems of equations, graphing linear functions

High School (Keystone Algebra I)

CC.2.2.HS.D.7 Algebra

Create and graph equations and inequalities to describe numbers or relationships.

Key skills: modeling with functions, graphing inequalities, algebraic manipulation

Science (STEELS)

Grade 1

3.1.1.A Life Science

Use materials to design a solution to a human problem by mimicking how plants and/or animals use their external parts to help them survive.

Key skills: biomimicry, engineering design, plant/animal structures

Grade 5

3.2.5.A Physical Science

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

Key skills: particle model of matter, scientific modeling, observational reasoning

Middle School (6-8)

3.3.6-8.B Earth and Space Science

Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earth's surface at varying time and spatial scales.

Key skills: plate tectonics, geologic time, evidence-based explanation

Social Studies

Grade 3

5.1.3.A Civics and Government

Explain the purposes of rules, laws, and consequences in the classroom, school, and community.

Key skills: civic responsibility, understanding authority, community rules

Grade 6

7.1.6.A Geography

Describe how common geographic tools are used to organize and interpret information about people, places, and environment.

Key skills: map literacy, GIS basics, spatial analysis

Grade 12

8.1.12.B History

Evaluate the interpretation of historical events and sources, yielding different points of view.

Key skills: historical empathy, source criticism, historiography

Implementation Notes

Pennsylvania uses the Standards Aligned System (SAS) as a central hub. It follows a 'Three-Dimensional' learning approach for Science (STEELS), integrating Science/Engineering Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Disciplinary Core Ideas. ELA and Math are heavily aligned with the Common Core but include PA-specific 'Eligible Content' for state assessments.

Assessment

Student achievement is primarily assessed via the PSSA (Pennsylvania System of School Assessment) for grades 3-8 in ELA and Math, and Science in grades 4 and 8. High school students must take Keystone Exams in Algebra I, Biology, and Literature to meet graduation requirements.

About This Standard
Added:
January 13, 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.

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