ABSTRACT
The nation is so large and music education involves so many people in so many settings that any generalization is bound to be based on a relatively small sampling of cases. Throughout the standards there is an explicit call for teaching a broader repertoire. The music standards specify that "every course in music, including performance courses, should provide instruction in creating, performing, listening to, and analysing music, in addition to focusing on its specific subject matter." Standards provide a basis for rationalizing the entire educational process and making it consistent in a way that has never before been possible. Standards specify what the music educators need with respect to curriculum and scheduling, staffing, materials, equipment, and facilities to implement the standards. Standards have brought the assessment to the center of the stage and have made it a high-priority, high-visibility issue.
