Kanam Academy Foundations Standards Alignment

Adoption and accreditation packet for schools, districts, after-school programs, and Scout partners. Summarizes how Kanam learning tracks align to recognized national frameworks. Audience: Grades 6–12 (ages ~11–18). Each learning track is designed as 16 sessions over 8 weeks (flexible pacing).

Frameworks we map to

Framework	Edition	Role
CSTA K–12 Computer Science Standards	Revised 2017	Primary alignment for CS / tech tracks — Levels 2 (grades 6–8) and 3A (grades 9–10).
CSTA PK–12 Computer Science Standards	2026 (published)	Forward-compatibility map to the five foundational concepts so adoption stays current as states transition.
K–12 Computer Science Framework	2016	Concepts & practices that underpin CSTA.
ISTE Standards for Students	2024 (v4.02)	Digital citizenship, knowledge construction, computational thinking, and creative communication.
Common Core State Standards — Mathematics	Statistics & Probability / S-ID	Cross-curricular alignment for the Data Analyst track.
National Standards for Personal Financial Education	Jump$tart / CEE 2021	Primary alignment for Financial Literacy.
NIST NICE (awareness themes)	Identify / Protect / Detect	Defensive cybersecurity literacy — recognition and response, not exploitation.

Why two CSTA editions? 2017 remains the edition most state adoptions and accreditation reviewers still cite. The 2026 PK–12 Standards are published; we map conceptually to their five foundational concepts so partners can transition without rewriting the program.

CSTA grade bands (2017)

Level 2 · Grades 6–8

Core path for every lesson — plain-language explainers, guided practice, auto-checks.

Level 3A · Grades 9–10

From-scratch challenges, capstones, and extension prompts reach early high-school depth.

Eight learning tracks — coverage at a glance

Track	Emphasis	Primary frameworks
Python & AI Foundations	Algorithms & Programming (primary); Impacts woven via AI ethics	CSTA 2017 AP + IC · ISTE Computational Thinker
Data Analyst	Data & Analysis (primary); Common Core stats/probability	CSTA 2017 DA + IC · CCSS 6–8.SP / S-ID · ISTE Knowledge Constructor
AI Literacy	Impacts of Computing; data & AI literacy bridges	CSTA IC/DA bridges · ISTE Digital Citizen + Knowledge Constructor
Advanced AI	AI specialty — ML, evaluation, RAG/agents, fairness, ship & audit	CSTA AI specialty / AI4K12 creator outcomes · CSTA 3A/3B AP + IC
AP CSP Prep	College Board AP CSP Big Ideas + Create PT exam prep (not an official AP course)	College Board AP CSP CED · computational thinking practices
Digital Literacy	Digital citizenship, information judgment, privacy, collaboration	ISTE Students 2024 · CSTA Impacts of Computing
Cybersecurity	Defensive literacy & safe computing habits	NIST NICE awareness · CSTA Systems/Networks + Impacts (awareness depth)
Financial Literacy	Personal finance decision-making across Jump$tart Topics I–VI	Jump$tart / CEE 2021 (grades 8–12 outcomes)

Python & AI Foundations → CSTA 2017

Primary foundations track for Algorithms & Programming. Level 2 is the core path; Level 3A codes mark stretch / early high-school depth.

Component	Codes	Notes
Variables, input/output, data types	2-AP-11	Clearly named variables; types & operations
Conditionals & decision logic	2-AP-12	Control structures incl. compound conditionals
Loops & automation	2-AP-12	Nested loops and repeated processes
Lists, dicts & organizing data	2-AP-11 · 3A-AP-14	Level 2 fundamentals; Level 3A list generalization
Functions & parameters	2-AP-14 · 3A-AP-17	Procedures with parameters; modular decomposition
Decomposition & program design	2-AP-10 · 2-AP-13 · 3A-AP-15	Algorithms, breaking problems into parts, justifying control choices
Testing, debugging & refinement	2-AP-17 · 3A-AP-16	Systematic tests; iterative computational artifacts
Documentation & design decisions	2-AP-19 · 3A-AP-23	Document programs and design choices
Capstone + AI ethics moments	3A-AP-13 · 2-IC-20 · 2-IC-21 · 3A-IC-25	Personal-interest prototype; bias, tradeoffs, responsible AI use

Data Analyst highlights

Collect, transform & query data2-DA-07 · 2-DA-08 · 3A-DA-10
Create & interpret visualizations3A-DA-11 · 3A-DA-12 · CCSS 6.SP.B.4 · 8.SP.A.1
Refine analysis & tell the story2-DA-09 · CCSS 7.SP.B · HS S-ID.B.6
Data ethics & privacy3A-IC-29 · 3A-IC-30 · 2-IC-21

ISTE Standards for Students (2024)

1.2 Digital Citizen

Digital Literacy, AI Literacy, Cybersecurity, ethics moments

1.3 Knowledge Constructor

Data Analyst, AI Literacy, Digital Literacy (search & judgment)

1.5 Computational Thinker

Python & AI Foundations, Data Analyst, AI Literacy

1.6 Creative Communicator

Data visualizations, capstones, digital content creation

Forward map — 2026 CSTA PK–12 concepts

Conceptual alignment to the five foundational concepts (not a line-by-line code rematch). Useful while partners transition from 2017 adoptions.

2026 concept	Where Kanam addresses it
Algorithms & Design	Python & AI Foundations sequencing, patterns, design before code; AI Literacy “how machines decide.”
Programming	Python & AI Foundations: read, write, modify, and debug real Python in the browser.
Data & Analysis	Data Analyst track (primary); AI Literacy data/representation bridges.
Systems & Security	Cybersecurity + Digital Literacy (accounts, privacy, scams) at awareness depth; not a full systems course.
Computing & Society	AI Literacy, ethics moments across tracks, careers, digital citizenship, and societal impact.

CSTA 2017 coverage summary

Concept	Level 2 (6–8)	Level 3A (9–10)
Algorithms & Programming	Comprehensive	Strong
Data & Analysis	Comprehensive	Strong
Impacts of Computing	Strong (woven)	Good (woven)
Computing Systems	Light	Light
Networks & the Internet	Light / awareness	Light / awareness

Positioning: strong, assessable coverage of Algorithms & Programming and Data & Analysis, with recurring Impacts of Computing. Computing Systems and Networks are intentionally light — pair with a partner course if a full CSTA-comprehensive sequence is required.