standards
Expectations of what students should know and be able to perform.
Additional information
Standards can be based on academic achievement and/or behavioral expectations. Standards may be set at the national level (such as NCLB), at the state level (for example, North Carolina’s ABCs accountability model), and at the school or classroom level. Contemporary reform initiatives are generally standards-based.
Advocates argue that strong standards raise expectations and performances of students and teachers. Critics contend that standards expect a minimum level of achievement without equalizing opportunities for all students to learn. In addition, standards facilitate standardization, a move opponents say fails to account for individual learning differences.
Examples and resources
NCDPI outlines the state’s standards for student performance on its website.
