Standards Reflection — High School

Connecting what you learned in FCCS to the 2026 Iowa PK–12 CS Standards

What This Activity Is For

You have spent seven weeks building a foundation in computer science. This activity asks you to look at the 2026 Iowa PK–12 Computer Science Standards for your grade band and consider two questions for each cluster of standards:

Did the FCCS course prepare you for this? If so, which competencies?
How ready do you feel to actually teach these standards to your students?

There are no wrong answers here. Some clusters will map clearly to FCCS content. Others will not — and that is important to notice. The standards you feel least prepared for are exactly what your CS Methods course (coming in about nine months) will help you address. This activity is a first look, not a final evaluation.

Expect this to take 15–25 minutes. Work through it on your own before your small group meeting. You will discuss your results briefly with your group.

Save this page or your responses. When you begin the CS Methods course, you will return to standards work in much greater depth. What you notice now — including the gaps — will give you a useful starting point for that course.

Your name (for your submission):

Quick reference — FCCS Competencies:
C1 Binary & Numerical Encodings • C2 Data Representation • C3 Logic Gates • C4 Hardware Components • C5 Memory & Storage • C6 Fetch-Decode-Execute Cycle • C7 OS Components • C8 OS Processes • C9 OS Security • C10 Network Communication • C11 Internet Transactions • C12 Cybersecurity • C13 Data & the PPDAC Cycle • C14 Databases & SQL • C15 Data Mining • C16 AI Agents & Search • C17 AI Techniques: Learning & Optimization • C18 Neural Networks & Deep Learning • C19 Large Language Models

The Standards Clusters

The standards below are organized into 11 clusters, following the subconcept structure of the 2026 Iowa CS Standards. Each cluster shows the standards for High School. Read each standard, then respond to the three questions.

Cluster 1 Systems & Security Hardware & Software

Identifier	Grade	Standard
`HS-SAS-30`	Grade HS	Differentiate operating systems (OS) as a special type of software that manages both the hardware and other software components of a computing system, including handling memory and peripherals.
`HS-SAS-31`	Grade HS	Demonstrate the capabilities and limitations of a physical or simulated computing device to address a task or problem.

1. Coverage: Which FCCS competency or competencies prepared you for this cluster? Name them specifically (e.g., "C10 — Network Communication"). If none did, write "Not directly addressed in FCCS."

2. Readiness: How prepared do you feel to teach the standards in this cluster?

3. What's still missing: If you are not fully prepared, what would help? (One or two sentences. Skip if you selected "Prepared.")

Cluster 2 Systems & Security Security

Identifier	Grade	Standard
`HS-SAS-32`	Grade HS	Identify different types of cybersecurity and physical security measures and the trade-offs for users, data, and devices.
`HS-SAS-33`	Grade HS	Classify the causes and impacts of security breaches and social engineering attacks for individuals, industries, communities, and governments.
`HS-SAS-34`	Grade HS	Formulate a solution to a security flaw in a given system.

1. Coverage: Which FCCS competency or competencies prepared you for this cluster? Name them specifically (e.g., "C10 — Network Communication"). If none did, write "Not directly addressed in FCCS."

2. Readiness: How prepared do you feel to teach the standards in this cluster?

3. What's still missing: If you are not fully prepared, what would help? (One or two sentences. Skip if you selected "Prepared.")

Cluster 3 Systems & Security Networks

Identifier	Grade	Standard
`HS-SAS-35`	Grade HS	Diagram a network of computing systems, including hardware and software
`HS-SAS-36`	Grade HS	Analyze how the Internet functions as a network of networks and how it differs from other types of networks.

1. Coverage: Which FCCS competency or competencies prepared you for this cluster? Name them specifically (e.g., "C10 — Network Communication"). If none did, write "Not directly addressed in FCCS."

2. Readiness: How prepared do you feel to teach the standards in this cluster?

3. What's still missing: If you are not fully prepared, what would help? (One or two sentences. Skip if you selected "Prepared.")

Cluster 4 Systems & Security Impacts of Computing Systems

Identifier	Grade	Standard
`HS-SAS-37`	Grade HS	Evaluate the rationales behind laws and policies governing the design and use of computing systems.
`HS-SAS-38`	Grade HS	Investigate how computing systems and infrastructure impact society and the environment, identifying who is affected and why.

1. Coverage: Which FCCS competency or competencies prepared you for this cluster? Name them specifically (e.g., "C10 — Network Communication"). If none did, write "Not directly addressed in FCCS."

2. Readiness: How prepared do you feel to teach the standards in this cluster?

3. What's still missing: If you are not fully prepared, what would help? (One or two sentences. Skip if you selected "Prepared.")

Cluster 5 Data Analysis Data Collection and Processing

Identifier	Grade	Standard
`HS-DAA-22`	Grade HS	Use a digital tool to generate synthetic data that fits certain parameters for use in simulations.
`HS-DAA-23`	Grade HS	Create a data dictionary that describes the names and types of attributes, allowable values/ranges for each attribute, and logical relationships between variables in a dataset.
`HS-DAA-24`	Grade HS	Use a digital tool to clean and organize text-based data.
`HS-DAA-25`	Grade HS	Evaluate different approaches to verifying consistency and compliance with expected data types, values, and ranges.

1. Coverage: Which FCCS competency or competencies prepared you for this cluster? Name them specifically (e.g., "C10 — Network Communication"). If none did, write "Not directly addressed in FCCS."

2. Readiness: How prepared do you feel to teach the standards in this cluster?

3. What's still missing: If you are not fully prepared, what would help? (One or two sentences. Skip if you selected "Prepared.")

Cluster 6 Data Analysis Data Investigation

Identifier	Grade	Standard
`HS-DAA-26`	Grade HS	Use computational tools to create data visualizations of multivariate data sets to answer a question, classify, or make predictions.
`HS-DAA-27`	Grade HS	Evaluate data simulations and data visualizations to answer data questions, inform decision-making, and identify potential limitations.

1. Coverage: Which FCCS competency or competencies prepared you for this cluster? Name them specifically (e.g., "C10 — Network Communication"). If none did, write "Not directly addressed in FCCS."

2. Readiness: How prepared do you feel to teach the standards in this cluster?

3. What's still missing: If you are not fully prepared, what would help? (One or two sentences. Skip if you selected "Prepared.")

Cluster 7 Data Analysis Impacts of Data Science

Identifier	Grade	Standard
`HS-DAA-28`	Grade HS	Evaluate the societal, environmental, and ethical implications of large-scale data collection and processing, including AI applications.
`HS-DAA-29`	Grade HS	Debate the efficacy of policies and regulations to ensure responsible data use.

1. Coverage: Which FCCS competency or competencies prepared you for this cluster? Name them specifically (e.g., "C10 — Network Communication"). If none did, write "Not directly addressed in FCCS."

2. Readiness: How prepared do you feel to teach the standards in this cluster?

3. What's still missing: If you are not fully prepared, what would help? (One or two sentences. Skip if you selected "Prepared.")

Cluster 8 Computing & Society History of Computing

Identifier	Grade	Standard
`HS-CAS-39`	Grade HS	Analyze the historical trajectory of specific computing technologies and how their development is linked to socialtal and environmental factors.
`HS-CAS-40`	Grade HS	Propose modifications to existing policies and legislation that encourage ethical innovation and minimize societal risks associated with technology.

1. Coverage: Which FCCS competency or competencies prepared you for this cluster? Name them specifically (e.g., "C10 — Network Communication"). If none did, write "Not directly addressed in FCCS."

2. Readiness: How prepared do you feel to teach the standards in this cluster?

3. What's still missing: If you are not fully prepared, what would help? (One or two sentences. Skip if you selected "Prepared.")

Cluster 9 Computing & Society Emerging Technologies

Identifier	Grade	Standard
`HS-CAS-41`	Grade HS	Evaluate the fundamental technological differences between an emerging technology and established technologies and how those differences influence computing.
`HS-CAS-42`	Grade HS	Evaluate the societal and environmental impacts of emerging technologies, including those that lead to inequities in access and outcomes.
`HS-CAS-43`	Grade HS	Design a conceptual solution to a real-world problem using an emerging technology, analyzing its potential benefits and harms.

1. Coverage: Which FCCS competency or competencies prepared you for this cluster? Name them specifically (e.g., "C10 — Network Communication"). If none did, write "Not directly addressed in FCCS."

2. Readiness: How prepared do you feel to teach the standards in this cluster?

3. What's still missing: If you are not fully prepared, what would help? (One or two sentences. Skip if you selected "Prepared.")

Cluster 10 Computing & Society Humans & Computing

Identifier	Grade	Standard
`HS-CAS-44`	Grade HS	Evaluate how human choices in using, designing, deploying, and regulating computing technologies have risks, benefits, and long-term impacts.
`HS-CAS-45`	Grade HS	Debate perspectives on the necessary differences between human and artificial intelligence, including implications for sentience, consciousness, ethics, rights, and societal responsibilities.

1. Coverage: Which FCCS competency or competencies prepared you for this cluster? Name them specifically (e.g., "C10 — Network Communication"). If none did, write "Not directly addressed in FCCS."

2. Readiness: How prepared do you feel to teach the standards in this cluster?

3. What's still missing: If you are not fully prepared, what would help? (One or two sentences. Skip if you selected "Prepared.")

Cluster 11 Computing & Society Career Exploration

Identifier	Grade	Standard
`HS-CAS-46`	Grade HS	Analyze how diverse teams of people use computational thinking and technologies to solve problems.
`HS-CAS-47`	Grade HS	Connect computing knowledge and skills acquired to students' personal goals and career aspirations.

1. Coverage: Which FCCS competency or competencies prepared you for this cluster? Name them specifically (e.g., "C10 — Network Communication"). If none did, write "Not directly addressed in FCCS."

2. Readiness: How prepared do you feel to teach the standards in this cluster?

3. What's still missing: If you are not fully prepared, what would help? (One or two sentences. Skip if you selected "Prepared.")

For your small group discussion: Come prepared to share one cluster where you felt most prepared and one where you felt least prepared. Be specific about why. Notice where your group agrees and where they land differently — that variation is worth talking about.

Prepare Your Submission

When you have finished responding to all clusters, click the button below. Your responses will be compiled into a text block that you can copy and paste into a Word document or email to submit on Blackboard.

Copy the text above and paste it into a Word document. Save the document and upload it to Blackboard. Keep your own copy for reference in the CS Methods course.