The Standards Information System is the core system for project CPALMS. Our team was tasked in 2008 to build a standards database to disseminate the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards (NGSSS) for mathematics and science. We designed a dynamic and database-driven system that enables hosting all the subjects in one system. www.FloridaStandards.org is now the official website for the NGSSS and includes the following subjects:

• Health Education
• Mathematics
• Physical Education
• Reading and Language Arts
• Science
• Social Studies
• Other subjects will be added as soon as approved by Florida's Board of Education.

The Standards Information System provides information on all the standards and each particular benchmark and access point. It also provides a management system for the CPALMS team and the Florida Department of Education to continuously add more helpful information on all the standards.

Please use the tabs above to learn more about this system.

Standards Information System Components

The following are the key components of the Standards Information System:

Standards and Benchmarks
This component provides management and display tools for all the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards (NGSSS) and the benchmarks within. Florida aims to increase student achievement through the adoption of rigorous standards. CPALMS is supporting this mission through the creation of tools that aggregate all the information on the standards in one-stop location (www.FloridaStandards.org).

Helpful Links:

• Click on the following link to browse or search the NGSSS: http://www.floridastandards.org/Standards/FLStandardSearch.aspx
• Click on the following link to view an example of a benchmark page: http://www.floridastandards.org/Standards/PublicPreviewBenchmark572.aspx
• Click on the following link to view and export live reports and documents on the NGSSS: http://www.floridastandards.org/Downloads.aspx

Access Points
CPALMS will provide a one-stop information system for the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards access points. As part of the revision to the Sunshine State Standards, access points for students with significant cognitive disabilities have been developed. These access points are expectations written for students with significant cognitive disabilities to access the general education curriculum. Embedded in the Sunshine State Standards, access points reflect the core intent of the standards with reduced levels of complexity. The three levels of complexity include participatory (Pa), supported (Su), and independent (In) with the participatory level being the least complex. Click here to learn more about access points.

Helpful Links:

• Click on the following link to browse or search the access points: http://www.floridastandards.org/Standards/AccesspointSearch.aspx
• Click on the following link to view an example of an access point page: http://www.floridastandards.org/Standards/PublicPreviewAccessPoint6813.aspx
• Click on the following link to view and export live reports and documents on the access points: http://www.floridastandards.org/Downloads.aspx

FCAT Test Item Specifications
The FCAT Test Item Specifications are documents produced by the Florida Department of Education in conjunction with the test development contractor that detail the item and design features of the test. The Specifications are resource documents that all item writers and reviewers should use to define the content and format of test items and should serve as a source of information about FCAT design for educators and the general public. The CPALMS Standards Information System will support the dissemination of these documents by providing them on the www.FloridaStandards.org and on the perspective benchmark pages.

Helpful Links:

• Click on the following link to download the documents for the FCAT Test Item Specifications: http://www.floridastandards.org/FCAT_Item_Specifications.aspx
• Click on the following link to view an example of a benchmark page with related Test Item Specifications: http://www.floridastandards.org/Standards/PublicPreviewBenchmark533.aspx

The following are the set of tools created by CPALMS to support the Standards Information System:

QuickConnect
QuickConnect is a software application that you can install on your computer and use to access the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards (NGSSS) from your desktop. It connects live to the Florida Standards Database (www.floridastandards.org) and retrieves the up to date information on the standards. It requires active internet connection and works across platforms (Mac, Windows, Linux). QuickConnect is one of the tools created by project CPALMS. Click here for more information or to download QuickConnect.

Join the 13,000+ users of QuickConnect. Click on the "Install Now" button below to get your free copy.

Standards Management Module
A comprehensive management system for central management of all the information related to the standards including the FCAT Test Item Specifications. This system provides efficiency and consistency to manage the standards once and disseminate through all the information systems and tools.

Access Points Management Module
Similar to the Standards Management Module, the Access Points Management module provides a suite of dynamic tools that enables the management and dissemination of all information related to the access points.

Glossary Management Module
Through this tool, glossary terms and definitions are managed centrally and displayed consistently throughout CPALMS. Glossary terms are applied throughout the site and displayed with a dotted underline (see image below for example). A list of glossary terms and definitions can be downloaded as a Microsoft Word document from: www.FloridaStandards.org/downloads.aspx.

Web Services and Application Programming Interface (API)
CPALMS aims to provide a unique source of information for the NGSSS and provide districts and other projects to create tools that support standards-driven instruction. Thus, CPALMS will provide a series of web services and APIs to allow external applications to communicate and interact with the Standards Information System and the other systems within CPALMS.

The following table provides an overview comparison between the new Standards Information System and the former process for disseminating the same information:

We welcome all suggestions and comments about CPALMS. We like to hear from you about any ideas or suggestions you have for us to incorporate to make CPALMS better for Florida's educators.

For suggestions and comments, please email us at: cpalms@lsi.fsu.edu