In the fall of 1996, the State Board of Education adopted "Vermont's Framework of Standards and Learning Opportunities." In 2000, the standards were formally revised and again adopted by the State Board. In the summer of 2004, another chapter in the standards, "Grade Expectations for Vermont's Framework of Standards and Learning Opportunities," was written. Grade Expectations (GEs) have been developed for Non-Native Languages. GEs encompass both Grade Level Expectations in Reading, Writing and Math, and Grade Cluster Expectations. These GEs will serve multiple purposes in terms of teaching, student learning, and local assessment. The Non-Native Language (NNL) GEs are not intended to represent the full NNL curriculum for instruction at each grade cluster. GEs are meant to capture the "big ideas" that can be assessed locally. The NNL GEs include concepts and skills not easily assessed in an on-demand setting. Many language learning processes are ongoing throughout the school year and are best assessed within the classroom. The NNL GEs are written in four groupings based on the "National Standards in Foreign Languages Education Project" and "Vermont's Framework of Standards and Learning Opportunities": (1) Communication; (2) Cultures and Communities; (3) Connections and Comparisons; and (4) Curiosity, Cooperation and Challenge--Approach to Learning.