Standards
are statements about what is valued in education. They define the global
ideas important in a well-rounded educational program.
A "standard" is a recognized level of excellence; it can be used to judge quality; it describes what should be attained. The Pacific Standards for Excellence describe regional goals for students, teachers, and educational programs to strive for.
Standards also provide criteria or characteristics against which the quality of instructional materials, other curriculum documents, and classroom practices can be compared. Educators can compare materials with the standards to evaluate how closely the materials are aligned with the expectations.