What are Power Standards?

Parents frequently ask, "What are power standards and how are they different from other standards"?

Power Standards describe the essential content and skills that students are expected to acquire in each subject and at each grade level. At York Middle School, teachers have collaborated to develop a number of power standards in each content area and grade level. Teachers have derived the power standards from the Maine Learning Results, which include the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Mathematics.

We believe that it's far more important for students to develop a deep understanding of the most critical content rather than a superficial understanding of an extremely broad set of standards. This approach enables teachers to teach for true learning rather than "coverage" of material.

Check out this helpful link to a much more detailed and thorough description of power standards:

Glossary of Ed. Reform: Power Standards