Understanding Our Standards

For Mathematics, English Language Arts, Social Studies, World Languages, and Visual Arts, we follow the AERO standards. Supported by the U.S. State Department's Office of Overseas Schools, AERO provides a rigorous framework that maintains the high expectations of U.S. standards while allowing for the cultural flexibility required in an international setting. This ensures our students are benchmarked against their peers in the United States and at top-tier international schools globally.

For Science, we follow the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), which shift science education from rote memorization to three-dimensional learning. By integrating Disciplinary Core Ideas, Crosscutting Concepts, and Science and Engineering Practices, NGSS ensures students develop the mental models used by actual scientists and engineers.

Physical Education follows the SHAPE America standards, which are built on the concept of physical literacy. Rather than focusing solely on sport-specific skills, SHAPE emphasizes the motor-skill development and social-emotional behaviors required for lifelong health and wellness. Music is informed by the National Core Arts Standards, which center on the artistic processes of creating, performing, presenting, responding, and connecting. This ensures that music is treated as a rigorous academic discipline requiring critical thinking and self-reflection.

Technology instruction is guided by the ISTE standards, which position students as digital citizens, knowledge constructors, and innovative designers. In an era of rapid technological change, ISTE prepares students to use technology as a tool for problem-solving rather than simply a medium for consumption.

Our Bible curriculum is unique to Dalat and was written by our own faculty, informed by current research in spiritual formation. This ensures that the content is developmentally appropriate, addressing the specific cognitive and emotional stages of a student's spiritual journey as they move from concrete to abstract thinking. This curriculum reflects our commitment to developing the whole student in a way that is consistent with our school's mission and values.

Advanced Placement courses are governed by College Board AP standards, which are globally recognized by universities in over 60 countries. AP provides a standardized measure of college-level proficiency, ensuring that our high school pathways lead directly to university credit and advanced standing.