What is meant by the term "standards"? This article will use the definition of the National Academy of Sciences for their workshop on Assessing the Role of K-12 Academic Standards, "generally used to refer to both content standards, which describe material that students should be expected to learn, and performance standards, which describe the level of proficiency or mastery expected of students…Most state standards specify both" (Beatty, 2008, p. 2). No Child Left Behind (NCLB) theoretically aligns state standardized assessments with that particular state's standards and thus, teachers are required to use them for instructional planning, especially as states release curriculum frameworks, becoming more and more specific about what concepts are being taught and how they will be assessed. National standards have the possibility of creating common outcomes on achievement and performance assessments; yet a variety of different types of educational reforms are being considered. It must not be forgotten that students are individuals with unique possibilities; moving towards an increase in national standardization might just be moving this country in a direction that impedes the development of these unique possibilities. Undoubtedly, educators are already overwhelmed with a long list of standards from various organizations. Will one more list of standards make the difference for students?