Standards alignment
Built for curriculum directors. Mapped to the standards your district uses.
Blackbox CLC modules align to nationally recognized K-12 computing and AI frameworks. The matrices below show module-level mappings to CSTA K-12, the NICE Cybersecurity Workforce Framework, AI4K12 Five Big Ideas, and NIST AI Risk Management Framework. Use this page in your CTE program proposal or curriculum review.
Frameworks
What we align to.
CSTA K-12
Computer Science Teachers Association K-12 Computer Science Standards. Mapped to Level 3A (high school) concept clusters across all modules.
NICE Framework
National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education work roles. Cyber modules map to entry-level Protect & Defend, Analyze, and Oversee & Govern roles.
AI4K12 Five Big Ideas
Perception, Representation & Reasoning, Learning, Natural Interaction, Societal Impact. AI Fluency units cite the corresponding big idea(s) in every lesson.
NIST AI RMF
NIST AI Risk Management Framework: Govern, Map, Measure, Manage. AI Fluency builds risk reasoning students can carry into workplace AI use.
Cybersecurity track
Cyber I & II alignment matrix
Module-level mapping for the year-long cybersecurity pathway.
| Module | CSTA K-12 | NICE Work Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Cyber I, Unit 1: Orientation & Professional Ethics | 3A-IC-24, 3A-IC-29, 3A-NI-05 | OV-LGA-001, OV-MGT-001 |
| Cyber I, Unit 2: Security Fundamentals | 3A-NI-05, 3A-NI-06, 3A-NI-08 | PR-CDA-001, PR-INF-001 |
| Cyber I, Unit 3: Hardware, OS, Virtualization | 3A-CS-01, 3A-NI-04 | PR-INF-001, PR-CDA-001 |
| Cyber I, Unit 4: Networking Fundamentals | 3A-NI-04, 3A-NI-06 | PR-INF-001, AN-TWA-001 |
| Cyber I, Unit 5: Cyber Threats & Attack Vectors | 3A-NI-05, 3A-NI-08 | AN-TWA-001, PR-CIR-001 |
| Cyber I, Unit 6: Cryptography & Data Protection | 3A-AP-13, 3A-NI-06 | PR-INF-001, SP-SYS-001 |
| Cyber I, Unit 7: Defensive Security Basics | 3A-NI-04, 3A-NI-06, 3A-NI-08 | PR-INF-001, PR-CDA-001 |
| Cyber I, Unit 8: Intro to Ethical Hacking | 3A-IC-24, 3A-NI-05 | AN-EXP-001, OV-LGA-001 |
| Cyber I, Unit 9: Web, Cloud, IoT Security | 3A-NI-04, 3A-NI-06, 3A-IC-25 | PR-INF-001, AN-TWA-001 |
| Cyber I, Unit 10: Capstone & EHE Credential Prep | 3A-IC-25, 3A-IC-30 | OV-MGT-001, OV-LGA-001 |
| Cyber II, Unit 1: Cyber I Review & Lab Orientation | 3A-NI-04, 3A-IC-24 | PR-INF-001, OV-MGT-001 |
| Cyber II, Unit 2: Advanced Networking & Defense | 3A-NI-04, 3A-NI-06, 3A-NI-08 | PR-INF-001, PR-CDA-001 |
| Cyber II, Unit 3: Linux & Windows Administration | 3A-CS-01, 3A-AP-13 | PR-INF-001, OM-ADM-001 |
| Cyber II, Unit 4: Reconnaissance & OSINT | 3A-NI-05, 3A-IC-24 | AN-TWA-001, AN-EXP-001 |
| Cyber II, Unit 5: Scanning, Enumeration, Vuln Assessment | 3A-NI-06, 3A-NI-08 | AN-EXP-001, PR-VAM-001 |
| Cyber II, Unit 6: Ethical Exploitation Concepts | 3A-NI-05, 3A-IC-24 | AN-EXP-001, OV-LGA-001 |
| Cyber II, Unit 7: Web Application Security | 3A-NI-06, 3A-AP-17 | SP-DEV-001, AN-EXP-001 |
| Cyber II, Unit 8: SOC Fundamentals | 3A-NI-08, 3A-IC-24 | PR-CDA-001, AN-TWA-001 |
| Cyber II, Unit 9: Incident Response & Forensics | 3A-NI-08, 3A-IC-24 | PR-CIR-001, IN-FOR-001 |
| Cyber II, Unit 10: Malware & Social Engineering | 3A-NI-05, 3A-NI-08 | AN-TWA-001, PR-CIR-001 |
| Cyber II, Unit 11: Cloud, Wireless, Mobile, IoT | 3A-NI-04, 3A-NI-06, 3A-IC-25 | PR-INF-001, SP-SYS-001 |
| Cyber II, Unit 12: Risk Mgmt, Governance, Compliance | 3A-IC-24, 3A-IC-30 | OV-LGA-001, OV-MGT-001 |
| Cyber II, Unit 13: Pen Test Reporting & Communication | 3A-IC-25, 3A-AP-22 | OV-MGT-001, AN-EXP-001 |
| Cyber II, Unit 14: Career Readiness & WBL | 3A-IC-25, 3A-IC-30 | OV-MGT-001 |
| Cyber II, Unit 15: Capstone Project | 3A-AP-22, 3A-IC-25 | Multiple (capstone-dependent) |
AI track
AI Fluency alignment matrix
Module-level mapping for the ten-unit AI Fluency course.
| Module | CSTA K-12 | AI4K12 Big Ideas | NIST AI RMF |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 1: Orientation & AI Ethics | 3A-IC-24, 3A-IC-25 | Big Idea 5: Societal Impact | Govern |
| Unit 2: How LLMs Work | 3A-AP-13, 3A-AP-22 | Big Idea 3: Learning | Map |
| Unit 3: Prompt Engineering Fundamentals | 3A-AP-13, 3A-AP-17 | Big Idea 4: Natural Interaction | Map, Measure |
| Unit 4: Advanced Prompting | 3A-AP-13, 3A-AP-17 | Big Idea 4: Natural Interaction | Measure |
| Unit 5: Frontier Models | 3A-IC-25, 3A-IC-28 | Big Idea 3, Big Idea 5 | Govern, Map |
| Unit 6: Local LLMs | 3A-AP-13, 3A-NI-04 | Big Idea 3: Learning | Manage |
| Unit 7: RAG, Tools, Agents | 3A-AP-13, 3A-AP-22 | Big Idea 2: Representation | Map, Manage |
| Unit 8: Multimodal AI | 3A-IC-24, 3A-IC-25, 3A-IC-28 | Big Idea 1: Perception, Big Idea 5 | Govern, Manage |
| Unit 9: AI Risks | 3A-IC-24, 3A-NI-05, 3A-NI-06 | Big Idea 5: Societal Impact | Govern, Measure, Manage |
| Unit 10: Capstone | 3A-AP-13, 3A-AP-22, 3A-IC-25 | All five big ideas (integrated) | All four functions |
Pathway alignment
CTE pathway compatibility
Cybersecurity CTE pathway
Aligns to most state CTE Cybersecurity course frameworks. Two-semester structure fits standard 1-credit CTE courses.
IT & Programming CTE pathway
AI Fluency slots into IT, Programming, or Computer Science electives as a one-semester course.
Industry credential prep
Cyber I + II prepare students for entry-level certifications (CompTIA ITF+, Security+ awareness). AI Fluency prepares students for emerging AI literacy assessments.
State and district CTE frameworks vary. Contact us for a custom alignment letter for your district.
State-specific alignment
Detailed mapping to Virginia CTE Cybersecurity Systems Technology (8602) is published. See the Virginia alignment matrix →
For curriculum directors
Need a formal alignment document?
We provide signed alignment letters for district curriculum reviews, board adoption packets, and Perkins reporting. Tell us your state and the framework you need mapped.