Achievement Standards

Ferndale Schools, as a district within Michigan, follows two sets of standards: The Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSS) for Mathematics and English Language Arts, and the Michigan Grade-Level Content Expectations (GLCEs) for all other content areas.

Common Core State Standards

In June 2010, the State Board of Education adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) as the new standards for K-12 Mathematics and English Language Arts. These standards improved upon Michigan's current standards (the Grade Level Content Expectations and the High School Content Expectations) by establishing clear and consistent goals for learning, and allow Michigan to work collaboratively with other states to provide curricular support to schools and educators.

For more information on Michigan's adoption of CCSS, visit the Michigan Common Core State Standards Resources page at MICCSS.org.

For more information about the CCSS generally, visit the Common Core State Standards Initiative at CoreStandards.org.

Ferndale's K-12 Power Standards

What are Power Standards? How did Ferndale come up with these standards? 

Ferndale Public Schools' lead teachers have worked together to determine Power Standards, or a set of content standards that they believe every Ferndale student should master. These standards are "spiraling;" in other words, teachers build on the same standards from year to year so that the skills are reinforced throughout students' schooling.

By no means are these the only standards that are addressed while a student is a Ferndale student. Within every unit, teachers are teaching many other skills. The Power Standards, however, are those that Ferndale teachers see as most important to College and Career Readiness.

What are the Power Standards?