Beginning in March 2014, the state of Pennsylvania introduced a set of core standards for Mathematics and English Language Arts. These standards, and the skills and competencies they represent, help us form the academic foundation upon which our students become lifelong, and successful, learners. 

When looking at the seemingly random combination of numbers and letters associated with each of the PA Core Standards for Math and English Language Arts, it can feel like trying to speak a foreign language. While they may appear random at a first, or even second, glance, the naming conventions of these standards contain a ton of useful information that help us understand exactly what the learner can be expected to learn at the conclusion of a lesson or activity. The below image contains a map to help decode the standards.