South Dakota
Content Standards
South Dakota Content Standards serve as expectations for what students should know and be able to do by the end of each grade. The review, revision, development, and feedback process involves stakeholders throughout the state of South Dakota and is an ongoing and critical component to ensure South Dakota students in every classroom receive current and relevant learning experiences. The goal is that all students will graduate college, career, and life ready.
What South Dakota Content Standards Do:
- Focus on deep thinking, conceptual understanding,
and real-world problem solving skills - Set expectations for students to be College, Career, and Life ready
- Do increase rigor and grade-level expectations
What South Dakota Content Standards DO NOT DO:
- Do Not mandate a specific curriculum
- Do Not limit advanced work beyond the standards
The South Dakota Content Standards were neither written nor funded by the Federal Government. South Dakota educators and content specialists participated in the review, revision, development, and feedback process.
Standards Revision Timeline
CTE-PE-ET Standards Notice of Hearing, March 26, 2021, 10:00 a.m. MT, Rapid City

- English Language Arts –Unpacked Standards & K-12 Strike-Through Documents
- Standards for English Language Arts
- Adopted March 19, 2018. (transition year 2018-2019; teach to standards 2019-2020; assessed spring 2020)
- Standards for English Language Arts
- Adopted 2010
- Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects
- Adopted 2010
- Mathematics- Unpacked Standards and Strike-Through Documents
-
Standards for Mathematics
- Adopted March 19, 2018 (transition year 2018-2019; teach to standards 2019-2020; assessed spring 2020)
- Standards for Mathematics
- Adopted 2010
- Oceti Sakowin Essential Understandings and Standards
- Adopted March 19, 2018
- Oceti Sakowin Essential Understandings and Standards
- Adopted 2012
- (New) South Dakota Physical Education Standards and grade-level Outcomes for K-12 Physical Education
- Adopted 2021
- (New) Strike-Through Documents: A comparison of the new 2021 grade-level outcomes to the 2014 outcomes:
- (Past) South Dakota Physical Education Standards and Grade-level Outcomes for K-12 Physical Education
- Adopted 2014
- Science Standards
- Adopted: May 2015
- SD Science Translations Documents
- Appendix A – Disciplinary Core Idea Progressions
- Appendix B – Science and Engineering Practice Crosscutting Concepts Frequency Tables
- Appendix C – Engineering Design Standards
- Recommended Science Course Pathways | Course Pathway Explanation
- Science Standards Fact Sheet
- Comparison Document
- Core Content Connectors for students with significant cognitive disabilities | High School | Middle School | Elementary School
- South Dakota Social Studies Standards – August 24, 2015 (Adopted: August 2015)
- 2020 Revised Social Studies Unpacked Documents (Supplement Created: Summer 2020)
- Civics Education
- Previous Social Studies Extended Content Standards (Adopted: 2006)
- South Dakota World Language Standards
- Adopted March 2019
- South Dakota World Language Standards
- Adopted 2011
For more information, contact the Department of Education's Division of Learning and Instruction at (605) 773-2490.