In 1994 the Center for Civic Education published "National Standards for Civics and Government," content standards clearly defining what students should know and be able to do as the outcome of civic education in school. This standards project has been an attempt to standardize the best in civic education and to make the Standards accessible to all teachers and learners of U.S. civics and government. This report takes a closer look at the National Standards by responding to three questions: (1) "What conception of civic education is conveyed by these National Standards?"; (2) "What notable trends in educational practices exemplify the implementation or operationalization of ideas in the standards?"; and (3) "How have the National Standards influenced national assessment of student achievement?" This report concludes that since 1994 the Standards have become criteria by which to criticize constructively civic education programs and practices. However, the National Standards in Civics project should not be a "one-shot" project. Rather, constructive criticism directed at the Standards should be the stimulator of the next round of development of U.S. national standards for civic education. (CB)