Standards

Learning standards are written descriptions of the skills and knowledge that children should know and be able to do at specific ages or grade levels. In defining age or grade-level expectations, standards outline learning progressions in domains of development and subject areas. Learning standards, also referred to as academic or content standards, outline what students are expected to learn, not how they should be taught. When based on current research in child development and learning, standards can guide teachers, caregivers, and parents on developmentally appropriate content, educational objectives, and dispositions for children to acquire. This entry describes early learning and development standards for children birth through 5 years of age, K–12 learning standards, the standards-based reform movement, and concerns about and benefits of standards.