Standards & Competencies

The NH College and Career Ready Standards (CCRS) includes three components; knowledge, skills and work study practices. Students need background knowledge in a variety of subjects in order to efficiently and productively engage in academic and career products of learning and work. The skills students are required to demonstrate are written as learning goals for a variety of content areas and are based on the research work of experts in their respective fields. The work study practices of the NH CCRS includes such attributes as creativity, collaboration, communication, critical thinking, persistence, tenacity, regulating behavior and emotions, approaches to learning and other expressions of what is sometimes called habits of mind.

New Hampshire has adopted standards in content areas such as: mathematics, English language arts/literacy, science, social studies, technology, early learning, the arts, career development and physical education.

We define college as any post-secondary (after high school) education experience. This may include a two-year and/or four-year higher education institution or a training program that has a course sequence and examination. We define career as much more than a job. A career may also have a training program or a certificate requirement that is often shorter than a two year program. Being ready for career also means the student will have an opportunity for longevity in that profession, advancement or promotion over time and that as an employee they are mentally engaged in their productive work life.

These competencies are approved by the State Board of Education for statewide use. As of May, 2014, they include the New Hampshire State Board of Education approved Common Core State Standards-Aligned Competencies in mathematics and English language arts and the New Hampshire K-12 Model Science Competencies. In August, 2014, he State Board of Education also approved the Work-Study Practices competencies.