Education standards help educators understand what students should know and be able to demonstrate by providing clear goals for student learning. The NH College and Career Ready Standards (NH CCRS) include learning goals for a variety of content areas, such as the State's newly adopted English language arts/literacy and mathematics standards. The new standards were adopted after a state-led effort referred to as the Common Core State Standards Initiative. NH CCRS include the critical skills, or competencies, necessary for skills in careers, college, and life.

District schools, public charter schools, and private schools each adopt their own curriculum, not the Department of Education nor the State Board of Education.

The NH 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.

Source: NH Department of Education