When you were a K-12 student, the emphasis on standards was probably very different than it is today. If there were "standards" then, they most likely consisted of a few statements outlining vague goals of education. At the present, nearly every public school across the United States falls under the guidelines of National, State, and district standards that specifically spell out the minimum expectations for student achievement at various grade levels in defined subject areas. Some teachers and schools have interpreted the standards movement as an emphasis only on "the test," a standardized set of tests that measures student achievement of standards and benchmarks. How students perform on those tests then determines the effectiveness of both the schools and the teachers. While it is certainly true that student scores on Florida's standardized test, the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, result in "grades" for schools and other consequences for students and teachers, your role is clearly to prepare students for such assessments and well beyond. Through your work with them, you have the power to help your students succeed or fail. The curriculum you organize, plan and use for instruction is the key to the quality of education your students receive. Your goal is not to "teach to the test," but to engage students in a learning environment that allows them to master the curriculum and thus master the standards. For a comprehensive look at assessment, including information about the Florida Sunshine State Standards and the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test click on Assessment of this section. For more information about how standards and your classroom curriculum are interrelated, click on Assessment and Curriculum Connections.