Developing Content Standards: A Foundational Task for State Boards

While their authority varies greatly from state to state, state boards of education most commonly hold approval of academic content standards as a central role. Because these standards reflect what education leaders believe their students should know and be able to do, their development is a foundational task not only for state boards but for the state education system as a whole. If the standards align with the state’s economic, civic, and cultural needs and goals, they will point students who master them toward greater success in postsecondary learning, work, and civic life.

State leaders have shared some guiding principles and common process elements, captured below, to help state boards develop high-quality standards. But in the end, each state must embrace a process that fits its own context and circumstances and best serves the needs of its education system. …