Content standards in education are statements that describe the specific content that should be taught and learned during the K-12 years, grade by grade. They articulate an essential core of knowledge and skills that students should master and clarify what students are expected to know and be able to do at various points in their K-12 academic career. Content standards define only the core elements of education that should apply to all students without regard to their specific career and academic plans. Every student is expected to achieve goals that are broader than those outlined by the standards.

Performance standards, on the other hand, tell how students will show they are meeting a standard. They incorporate content standards and define the level of work that demonstrates achievement of the standards. Performance standards isolate and identify skills needed for problem-solving, reasoning, communicating, and making connections with other information. They provide all constituents with the evidences that students have met the content standards, helping teachers define what level of work is satisfactory.

In summary, content standards refer to what students should know and be able to do, while performance standards refer to how students will show they are meeting a standard.