ISTE Standards for Students
The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards define the skills and competencies students need to thrive in a connected world. Here is how The Typing Cat aligns.
Empowered Learner
Students leverage technology to take an active role in choosing, achieving, and demonstrating competency in their learning goals, informed by the learning sciences.
Aligned Courses
Students set personal WPM and accuracy goals and track their improvement over time.
Students choose advanced drills and challenges that match their skill level.
Young learners set "I can" goals and discover how technology helps them learn.
Students set digital learning goals and choose the right technology tools.
How The Typing Cat Aligns
- Self-paced learning paths let students progress at their own speed
- Real-time performance dashboards empower students to monitor their growth
- Skill assessments help students identify strengths and set targeted goals
- Achievement badges and certificates recognize demonstrated competency
- Students choose from multiple courses and difficulty levels based on personal goals
Digital Citizen
Students recognize the rights, responsibilities, and opportunities of living, learning, and working in an interconnected digital world, and they act and model in ways that are safe, legal, and ethical.
Aligned Courses
Young students learn basic online safety and being kind online.
Students explore digital footprints, password safety, and cyberbullying prevention.
Middle school students study cybersecurity, digital ethics, and online reputation.
High school students examine AI ethics and data privacy rights.
How The Typing Cat Aligns
- Age-appropriate lessons teach online safety, digital footprints, and ethical behavior
- Students learn to protect their personal information through typing exercises
- Cybersecurity concepts are taught through practical typing practice
- AI ethics and data privacy topics prepare students for the modern digital world
Knowledge Constructor
Students critically curate a variety of resources using digital tools to construct knowledge, produce creative artifacts, and make meaningful learning experiences for themselves and others.
Aligned Courses
Students learn to type code syntax, building digital literacy alongside programming concepts.
Teachers and students create custom typing content from any subject area.
Students research, evaluate sources, and build knowledge using digital tools.
Middle school students evaluate sources, conduct research, and use data as evidence.
How The Typing Cat Aligns
- Programming course teaches students to interact with code as a digital tool
- Custom course builder lets students curate content from academic subjects
- Speed test with custom text enables students to practice with research materials
- Cross-curricular typing practice reinforces subject-area knowledge
Innovative Designer
Students use a variety of technologies within a design process to identify and solve problems by creating new, useful, or imaginative solutions.
Aligned Courses
Students learn the design thinking process through typed exercises.
High school students practice design thinking and rapid prototyping concepts.
How The Typing Cat Aligns
- Design thinking frameworks are taught through typing the empathize-define-ideate-prototype-test process
- Students develop prototyping vocabulary and iterative design concepts
- Creative problem-solving approaches are reinforced through typed exercises
Computational Thinker
Students develop and employ strategies for understanding and solving problems in ways that leverage the power of technological methods to develop and test solutions.
Aligned Courses
Students develop fluency with programming syntax and special characters.
Students develop strategies for efficient keystrokes and problem-solving under timed conditions.
Students learn what algorithms and patterns are through typing exercises.
High school students type real Python and JavaScript code and design algorithms.
How The Typing Cat Aligns
- Programming typing drills develop familiarity with code syntax and logical structure
- Timed exercises require strategic thinking about efficiency and accuracy tradeoffs
- Detailed analytics help students identify patterns in their error data
- Problem-key analysis encourages systematic approaches to overcoming weaknesses
Creative Communicator
Students communicate clearly and express themselves creatively for a variety of purposes using the platforms, tools, styles, formats, and digital media appropriate to their goals.
Aligned Courses
Foundational keyboarding skills enable fluent written expression through technology.
Higher typing speed removes mechanical barriers to creative digital communication.
Young learners tell animal stories and describe their favorite things through typing.
Students write persuasive text and explore multimedia storytelling.
How The Typing Cat Aligns
- Fluent keyboarding removes the mechanical barrier between ideas and digital expression
- Typing proficiency enables students to communicate effectively through writing, coding, and digital media
- Speed and accuracy mastery lets students focus on content quality rather than input mechanics
- Multi-platform practice prepares students for diverse digital communication tools
Global Collaborator
Students use digital tools to broaden their perspectives and enrich their learning by collaborating with others and working effectively in teams locally and globally.
Aligned Courses
Students explore global cultures and learn about working together online.
Middle school students gain global perspectives and collaborate in digital teams.
High school students practice cross-cultural digital collaboration.
How The Typing Cat Aligns
- Lessons about world cultures and global communication build cross-cultural awareness
- Collaborative project concepts prepare students for team-based digital work
- Students learn about working across time zones and cultural differences
Common Core ELA Standards
The Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts explicitly reference keyboarding and technology skills in the Writing strand. These standards require students to use technology to produce, publish, and collaborate on writing.
Writing Standard W.3.6
With guidance and support from adults, use technology to produce and publish writing (using keyboarding skills) as well as to interact and collaborate with others.
Aligned Courses
Third-grade students develop foundational keyboarding skills referenced explicitly in the standard.
How The Typing Cat Aligns
- Structured lessons teach proper finger placement starting from the home row
- Progressive difficulty builds keyboarding skills appropriate for Grade 3
- Teacher dashboard provides oversight and guidance tools as required by the standard
- Collaborative typing activities support the "interact and collaborate" component
Writing Standard W.4.6
With some guidance and support from adults, use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of one page in a single sitting.
Aligned Courses
Builds toward the one-page-per-sitting requirement through graduated practice sessions.
Helps students reach the typing speed needed for sustained writing.
How The Typing Cat Aligns
- Timed practice sessions build endurance for the one-page-in-a-single-sitting benchmark
- WPM tracking demonstrates "sufficient command of keyboarding skills" as required
- Progressive courses match the "some guidance and support" scaffolding the standard expects
- Internet-based platform directly fulfills the technology component of the standard
Writing Standard W.5.6
With some guidance and support from adults, use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of two pages in a single sitting.
Aligned Courses
Fifth-grade students build the speed and endurance required for two-page writing sessions.
How The Typing Cat Aligns
- Extended typing exercises develop the stamina for two pages in a single sitting
- Speed-building drills ensure students can produce longer texts efficiently
- Accuracy focus supports quality writing alongside quantity requirements
- Progress reports demonstrate keyboarding command growth over the school year
Writing Standard W.6.6
Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of three pages in a single sitting.
Aligned Courses
Middle school students reach the three-page benchmark through advanced speed training.
Broadens digital literacy to include technical writing and code documentation.
How The Typing Cat Aligns
- Advanced speed courses prepare students for the three-page-per-sitting requirement
- Programming typing expands digital communication skills beyond standard prose
- Class collaboration features support the "interact and collaborate with others" objective
- Independent learning structure reflects the reduced adult guidance expected at this level
State Technology Standards
Many states have adopted technology standards that include keyboarding as a foundational skill. Below is how The Typing Cat aligns with standards in the most populous states.
| State | Standard |
|---|---|
| California | CA CTE Model Curriculum Standards - Information TechnologyKeyboarding and digital literacy are embedded in the Information and Communication Technologies sector. |
| Texas | TEKS Technology ApplicationsStudents demonstrate keyboarding techniques and use technology for communication and research. |
| New York | NYS Computer Science and Digital Fluency StandardsDigital fluency standards include keyboarding as a foundational technology skill. |
| Florida | FL B.E.S.T. Standards - Digital LiteracyStudents use digital tools effectively, including keyboarding for written communication. |
| Illinois | IL Learning Standards - Computer ScienceComputer science standards include using digital tools for communication and collaboration. |
| Pennsylvania | PA Core Standards - Science and TechnologyTechnology standards emphasize using tools such as keyboarding for productivity and communication. |
| Ohio | OH Technology StandardsOhio requires students to use technology effectively and ethically for learning and communication. |
| Georgia | GA Computer Science StandardsKeyboarding is part of the Georgia digital literacy expectations, building toward programming fluency. |
| North Carolina | NC Digital Learning CompetenciesStudents demonstrate digital learning competencies including keyboarding and technology usage. |
| Virginia | VA Computer Science SOLsVirginia Standards of Learning include keyboarding and digital citizenship as core technology skills. |
Don't see your state listed? Most state technology standards include keyboarding proficiency. Contact us for a custom alignment report for your state or district.
For Teachers: Using Standards Data
Practical guidance for incorporating standards alignment into your lesson plans, reports, and administrative documentation.
Lesson Planning
- 1.Identify the standards your school requires and filter this page by grade range to find the relevant ones.
- 2.Map each standard to the corresponding Typing Cat course and incorporate it into weekly lesson plans.
- 3.Use the Teacher Dashboard to assign specific lessons that address each standard directly.
- 4.Reference the standard IDs in your lesson plan objectives (e.g., "Students will meet ISTE 1.6 by...").
Reporting to Administrators
- 1.Download the alignment guide PDF to share with administrators as evidence of standards coverage.
- 2.Export class progress reports from the Teacher Dashboard to demonstrate measurable student outcomes.
- 3.Use WPM and accuracy benchmarks in performance reviews to show data-driven instruction.
- 4.Request a custom alignment report for your specific state or district standards requirements.
Get the Full Alignment Guide
Download a comprehensive document mapping every Typing Cat course and feature to national and state standards. Ideal for curriculum proposals, board presentations, and accreditation reviews.