Essential Standards
Alhambra's Essential Standards for the 2026–2027 School Year
Alhambra Elementary School District is committed to ensuring all students have access to high-quality, standards-aligned instruction that prepares them for future success. To support this work, the district has identified and organized Essential Standards that provide teachers with a focused framework for instruction, assessment, and student learning.
For the 2026-27 School Year
Grades K–2 will continue to use the AESD Essential Standards, which prioritize the foundational literacy and mathematics skills students need to build strong academic foundations.
Grades 3–8 will utilize the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) Essential Standards, ensuring alignment to state expectations and supporting consistency in teaching, learning, and assessment across grade levels.
While ALL Arizona Academic Standards remain important and are taught throughout the school year, Essential Standards represent the most critical learning outcomes students must master to be successful in the next grade level and beyond. These prioritized standards help teachers focus instruction, monitor student progress, and provide targeted support when needed.
The Essential Standards resources are organized to support yearlong planning and instructional decision-making while maintaining a commitment to rigorous, grade-level learning for every student.
Special Areas
At the elementary, middle and junior high level art classes, the Essential Standards students are introduced to are: various art making approaches, processes, materials, tools and techniques as well as the elements and principles of art, while being given the opportunity to practice these from K-8. Students at the elementary level are introduced to materials and techniques where they can explore and experiment through play. At the middle and junior high level, they continue the practice of art making but are introduced to writing about their own artwork as well as artwork created by professional artists using art vocabulary. Students will not only work on individual art pieces reflecting personal interests and/or current issues, but also, at the 5th-8th grade level, work on collaborative pieces that reflect important community issues and values. Our goals are to not only make sure students are prepared to further art studies in high school, but to also gain an understanding of the importance of art in everyday life.
The Essential Standards for Music in Grades K-8 encourage critical thinking skills through different levels of musical composition and performance. From Kindergarten through second grade, students explore musical concepts to build skills, such as keeping a steady beat, identifying musical contrasts, and matching pitch. In third through fifth grades, students will expand on these concepts while adding an emphasis on music within other content areas such as literature, art, and social studies. Finally, in sixth through eighth grade, students compose and perform at a higher level within specific, chosen ensembles. Rehearsals and performances at these grades show students the importance of teamwork and responsibility for oneself and one another. As students progress through our program, they begin to understand and express musical and artistic intent, an appreciation that can be used beyond the classroom.
Through the Essential Standards for Physical Education in Grades K-8, we believe we can provide every child with a quality physical education experience. We have our students explore a wide variety of activities with the goal of guiding each child to discover their own personal physical activity interests. In our physical education programs, children learn fundamental movement skills, improve their fitness, how to stay healthy, and develop an understanding of the benefits that come with leading a physically active life. In K-2, students focus on movement-based activities. In 3-5, students focus on skills-based activities. In 6-8, students focus on utilizing skills in sports and fitness-based activities. In all grades, we focus on social and emotional skills to maintain cooperation, teamwork, and socialization. Through inclusive and engaging activities, our students develop a joy of moving and the skills they will need to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle. We prepare today’s children with the knowledge, skills and motivation to be tomorrow’s healthy adults.