Standards Tracker

A self-hosted educational standards tracking platform for homeschool families. Track student progress against Common Core Standards, manage evidence portfolios, and plan lessons with Core Knowledge curriculum integration.

Features

• Standards Tracking: Complete K-12 Common Core State Standards database
• Student Profiles: Manage multiple students with individual grade levels
• Progress Monitoring: Visual dashboards showing completion by grade and subject
• Evidence Management: Upload and organize photos, PDFs, and documents as proof of learning
• Lesson Calendar: Plan daily lessons with Core Knowledge curriculum pacing guides
• Curriculum Browser: Browse and download Core Knowledge resources (CKLA, CKHG, CKSci)
• Custom Lessons: Create your own lessons with links and notes
• Backup & Restore: Export and import all data
• Multi-device Access: Access from tablets, phones, and other computers on your network
• Dark Mode: Comfortable viewing in any lighting
• Desktop App: Optional Electron app for Windows, macOS, and Linux

Quick Start

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18 or later - Download from nodejs.org
• Git (optional, for cloning)

Installation

Linux / macOS

# Clone the repository (or download and extract)
git clone https://github.com/standards-tracker/standards-tracker.git
cd standards-tracker

# Run the installer
chmod +x install.sh
./install.sh

Windows

# Clone the repository (or download and extract)
git clone https://github.com/standards-tracker/standards-tracker.git
cd standards-tracker

# Run the installer
install.bat

Running the Application

# Start the server
npm start

# Or run in development mode (with hot reload)
npm run dev

Then open your browser to: http://localhost:3000

First-Time Setup

1. Register an account (first user becomes admin)
2. Add a student with their grade level
3. Browse standards and mark progress
4. Upload evidence for completed work

Configuration

Copy .env.example to .env and configure:

# Required - set a secure random string
JWT_SECRET=your-secure-secret-key-min-32-chars

# Optional (defaults shown)
PORT=3000
HOST=0.0.0.0
NODE_ENV=development
DATABASE_PATH=./data/standards.db
STORAGE_PATH=./storage
BACKUP_PATH=./backups

Running as Desktop App (Electron)

# Development
npm run electron:dev

# Build for your platform
npm run electron:build:linux   # Linux (AppImage, deb)
npm run electron:build:win     # Windows (installer, portable)
npm run electron:build:mac     # macOS (dmg, zip)

Project Structure

standards-tracker/
├── client/          # React frontend (Vite + Tailwind)
├── server/          # Express.js backend
├── electron/        # Electron desktop app
├── data/            # Standards data and database
├── storage/         # User uploaded evidence files
├── backups/         # Backup exports
└── scripts/         # Utility scripts

See PROJECT_STRUCTURE.md for detailed architecture.

Development

# Install dependencies
npm install
npm --prefix client install

# Run development servers (backend + frontend with hot reload)
npm run dev

# Run tests
npm test

# Build for production
npm run build

See CONTRIBUTING.md for development guidelines.

Documentation

• GETTING_STARTED.md - User guide for homeschool parents
• PROJECT_STRUCTURE.md - Technical architecture
• CONTRIBUTING.md - Development and contribution guide
• CLAUDE.md - Guide for AI-assisted development

Tech Stack

Backend:

• Express.js
• SQLite (via sqlite3)
• JWT authentication
• Multer for file uploads

Frontend:

• React 18
• Vite
• Tailwind CSS
• Zustand (state management)
• Recharts (visualizations)

Desktop:

• Electron

License

MIT License - see LICENSE

Acknowledgments

• Common Core State Standards data from corestandards.org
• Core Knowledge curriculum from coreknowledge.org