Frequently Asked Questions about the Colorado Academic Standards Review and Revision

Q:  Why do we have to revised standards right away?  Didn't we just revise them?

A:  Legislation was passed during the 2020 legislative session that altered the revision timeline.  Yes, the standards were revised in 2018.

Q:  Do all the standards have to be revised next year?

A:  No.  Only one-third of the standards will be revised in phase one and revisions adopted by June 2022.

Q:  Do we still have to implement the 2020 standards if they are being revised next year?

A:  Yes.  The standards implementation timeline is still in effect for all standards.

Q:  Who can apply to be a part of the revision committees?

A:  Applicants can be from any stakeholder in Colorado, including but not limited to educators at all grade levels, parents, administrators, professors, business owners, etc.

Q:  Do the standards committees get to decide what gets changed in the standards?

A:  The revision committees will make recommendations for revision to the State Board of Education and they will have final decision on the adopted standards.

Q:  What is the difference between standards and curriculum?

A:  Standards are broad goals articulating what students should know, understand, and be able to do over a given time period and are adopted by the State Board of Education.  Curriculum is an organized plan of instruction which include resources, materials, and textbooks to develop a sequence of instructional units.  Curriculum is adopted at the local level.

Q:  How do I provide feedback?

A:  Provide continuous feedback on the social studies and the arts standards up for revision through email: costandardsrevision@cde.state.co.us