What are the agreed-upon values used to measure the quality of student performance called?

The agreed-upon values used to measure the quality of student performance are referred to as standards. Standards serve as specific goals or expectations that articulate what students should know and be able to do at various stages of their education. They play a crucial role in guiding curriculum development, instructional strategies, and assessment practices within educational systems. By establishing clear standards, educators can ensure that students are aligned with necessary knowledge and skills, fostering a uniform basis for evaluating student achievement across different educational contexts.

While guidelines refer to broader recommendations that may inform practice, criteria specifically denote the individual components or characteristics that define quality performance in specific tasks. Benchmarks, on the other hand, often refer to specific reference points or milestones used to measure progress toward achieving those standards, but they do not encompass the overarching framework that standards provide. Thus, standards are the foundational values that ensure all students have equitable opportunities for learning and assessment.