Teaching and Learning State Content Standards
For Math, English, Science and Social Studies Teachers
Each of these four content areas has a substantial section on MDK12 that includes the state content standards, Voluntary State Curriculum, instructional strategies, assessments and other resources related to the teaching of that content.
- > Mathematics Homepage
- > English Language Arts Homepage
- > Science Homepage
- > Social Studies Homepage
The Voluntary State Curriculum defines what students should know and be able to do at each grade level. In addition to the four content areas mentioned above, MSDE has drafted a Voluntary State Curriculum for the following content areas.
- > Fine Arts
- > Health and PE
- > Foreign Language
- > English Language Proficiency
- > Technology Education
Toolkit
To help teachers better understand, teach and assess the VSC, MSDE developed the VSC Toolkit which includes public release and sample assessment items, lesson seeds and plans, clarification documents, skill statements and gifted and talented differentiation activities among others. Currently, Math and English Language Arts have toolkits and science and social studies toolkits will be developed this school year.
Monitoring Student Progress
A number of data collection templates have been created to support schools in monitoring student progress toward proficiency on the Maryland Content Standards. A Unit Monitoring Report allows teachers to create a customized grade sheet that aligns what they are teaching to the VSC. The report can also be downloaded into Excel. An Individual Student Monitoring Report provides space for recording progress on all the indicators and objectives assessed on MSA. Additional support on developing a monitoring plan can be found on the Developing a Monitoring Plan page.
Examining Student Work to Inform Instruction
The Examining Student Work section describes a protocol that grade level teams can use to examine student work to inform instruction.
Understanding MSA
Information about how the state assesses student learning can be found on the How do we test what students have learned? page.
Analyzing Your MSA Data
Your school's MSA data is available in graphed formats to help you analyze your performance on MSA. By clicking on school in the left hand column under Analyze MSA data, you can identify your county and school and then access your school's graphs.
Examining Your AYP Data
Your AYP data has been graphed and customized tutorials to explain how to read your AYP graphs have been created on the Analyze Your AYP Data page.
By clicking on school in the left hand column under Analyze AYP data, you can identify your county and school and then access your school graphs. You will also see on the left hand side a number of animated audio tutorials to understand your AYP data that include the following:
- How to Read Your AYP Reading Graph
- How to Read Your AYP Mathematics Graph
- Understanding How Maryland Uses a Confidence Interval
- Understanding Safe Harbor
- Knowing What Questions Your MSA Data Can Answer
For Algebra Teachers
Since Algebra students will be taking the Algebra/Data Analysis HSA, Algebra teachers will be interested in the Public Release items from previous high school assessments and other available resources.
