Religious Education Standards Link to PDF

Purpose 

Religious education standards identify seven categories of expectations for the formation of youth in their Catholic faith. The PreK-8 religious education standards of the Diocese of Madison also include specific grade level competencies that every youth should know and be able to demonstrate. Diocesan Religious Education Standards will strengthen the partnership between the primary educators of children – their parents – and the supporting educators of children – pastors, catechists, and Catholic school teachers.   Diocesan Religious Education Standards will assist parents, catechists, and teachers to work together toward the stated learning competencies.
The Standards will also allow parents, clergy, catechists, and teachers the freedom to achieve the desired learning competencies by creatively developing various and different curriculum. Developing sound curricula (choosing appropriate resources, and designing the appropriate learning process and creating the clearest lesson plan) will assure the desired leaning under each standard.
Forming our children in the Catholic faith is an honor and a privilege.  However, we must acknowledge that the task of teaching just the basics of the Catholic faith to new generations of young Catholics cannot be accomplished solely through the dedicated efforts of Parish priests, catechists, and Catholic school teachers. The success of teaching the basics of our faith to the younger generation of Catholics will depend not only upon the limited amount of time spent in a parish catechetical program but also upon the extended amount of time and effort devoted to learning and practicing the faith at home.