A strong mathematics education depends upon a clear understanding of its interrelated concepts, skills and practices to ensure students are on the pathway to success in their academic careers. The knowledge and skills students need to be prepared for mathematics in college, career, and life are woven throughout the K-12 mathematics standards.
The mathematics standards are broken into a variety of grade bands (i.e., K-2, 3-5, K-5, 6-8, High School) with standards grouped as clusters within domains. Although domain names change as the standards build through K-12, they can be organized by the following clusters:
- Quantitative Reasoning: Counting and Cardinality (K), Number and Operations in Base Ten (K-5), Number and Operations Fractions (3-5), Ratio and Proportional Relations (6-8), The Number System (6-8), and Number and Quantity (High School).
- Algebraic Reasoning: Operations and Algebraic Thinking (K-5), Expressions and Equations (6-8), Functions (8-HS), and Algebra (HS)
- Geometric Reasoning: Geometry (K-12)
- Statistical Reasoning: Measurement and Data (K-5), Statistics and Probability (6-HS)
- Mathematical Practices (K-12): Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them; Reason abstractly and quantitatively; Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others; Model with mathematics; Use appropriate tools strategically; Attend to precision, Look for and make use of structure and look for; and Express regularity in repeated reasoning.
Standards Updates
| 2019 | 2025 | 2030 |
|---|
| Step | Time Period | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | Fall | Commissioner gives the approval to begin the standards review process |
| Step 2 | Fall | Public comment period and hearings on current content standards |
| Step 3 | Winter |
Steering Committee: A committee of content area experts who represent the cultural diversity found in Maine and a range of viewpoints as to the content of the standards is formed and tasked to:
The Maine State Board of Education will appoint one member of the Steering Committee. |
| Step 4 | Winter | Maine DOE review and approval of the steering committee's recommended blueprint for standards revision |
| Step 5 | Summer | Writing Team: Teams of pk-12 public school teachers who represent Maine’s cultural and geographical diversity are formed and broken into smaller groups, facilitated by the Maine DOE content specialist, to revise content standards based on guidance from the Steering Committee. |
| Step 6 | Summer | The Writing Team submits draft proposal to the Maine Department of Education. |
| Step 7 | Fall | Internal Maine DOE review of standards revision |
| Step 8 | Fall | The Maine DOE files the standards revision document as proposed rules with the Secretary of State. |
| Step 9 | Fall | Maine DOE will hold a public hearing followed by a public comment period on the proposed rules. |
| Step 10 | Winter | Maine DOE prepares and submits provisional adoption of standards revision to the Secretary of State and Legislative Council. The Legislature, once in session in January, will refer the rule as a legislative document to the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee where they will be given an LD Resolve to revise during session. |
| Step 11 | Winter | The Education and Cultural Affairs Committee will hold a public hearing and work session before sending the proposed rules on to the full legislature. |
| Step 12 | Spring | Final adoption of revised standards by the Maine State Legislature. |
| Step 13 | Spring | The Maine Department of Education will prepare the standards regulation for final adoption |