What are power standards? Power standards are the critical skills teachers are expected to teach students explicitly at each grade level. The power standards are sequenced in trimester maps to help teachers guide their instruction for the year. Click on the corresponding links to access each grade level's power standards in reading and writing. Included in each grade level link is: writing power standards, bi-annual writing rubrics to assess student progress, reading power standards, essential vocabulary all students are expected to know, and the school's spelling scope and sequence.