Here is a brief overview of the six elements of the Standards Aligned System:

• Standards--Pennsylvania’s Academic and Core Standards define what students should know and be able to do as a result of instruction.

• Curriculum Framework--The Curriculum Framework identifies the Big Ideas, Concepts, Competencies, and Essential Questions, Standards, and Eligible Content in each subject area.
  

• • Big Ideas: Declarative statements that describe concepts that transcend grade levels. Big Ideas are essential to provide focus on specific content for all students.
  • Concepts: Describe what students should know (key knowledge) as a result of this instruction specific to grade level.
  • Competencies: Describe what students should be able to do, key skills, as a result of this instruction, specific to grade level.
  • Essential Questions: Questions connected to the SAS framework and are specifically linked to the Big Ideas. They should frame student inquiry, promote critical thinking, and assist in learning transfer.
  • Standards: Statements that define what students should know and be able to do as a result of instruction.
  • Eligible Content: Helps educators identify how deeply they need to cover an Assessment Anchor and/or the range of content they should teach to maximize student achievement and best prepare their students for the PSSA.

• Materials & Resources-- Materials & Resources supports standards aligned instruction and include Voluntary Model Curriculum, learning progressions, units, lesson plans and multi-media content examples for use in planning and delivering instruction.

• • Materials & Resources includes the Voluntary Model Curriculum (VMC) incorporating learning progressions, units, lesson plans, and content resources aligned to the Pennsylvania Standards in curriculum frameworks for the four major content areas (mathematics, science, social studies, reading-writing-speaking-listening).
    
  • Learning progressions span grades K-12 and include what all students should know and be able to do as a result of successfully moving through grades K-8 and by taking specific courses in grades 9-12.

• Assessment--Assessment offers tools and resources to support the process of assessing, evaluating and documenting student learning in order to improve professional practice and increase student achievement.  Four types of assessments are defined in PA:

• • Summative Assessment: Seeks to make an overall judgment of progress made at the end of a defined period of instruction.
  • Formative Assessment: Defined as classroom-based assessments that allow teachers to monitor and adjust their instructional practices in order to meet the individual needs of their students.
  • Diagnostic Assessment: Ascertains, prior to instruction, each student’s strengths, weaknesses, knowledge, and skills.
  • Benchmark Assessment: Measures achievement of important grade level content periodically during the year in order to provide feedback about how students are progressing towards demonstrating proficiency on grade level standards.

• Instruction--Instruction provides resources and interventions to facilitate achievement of the standards for all students.

• Safe & Supportive Schools--Safe & Supportive Schools supplies resources and exemplars to promote active student engagement in a safe and positive learning environment.  Areas within the element include the following:

• • Engagement: Interpersonal relationships, respect for diversity and participation in school
  • Safety: Emotional safety, physical safety, and substance use
  • Environment: Physical environment, academic environment, wellness, and disciplinary environment