The National Education Standards and Improvement Council (NESIC) was established in the Goals 2000: Educate America Act. One of NESIC's duties is to identify areas in which specific educational standards ought to be developed. Several complex issues arise in carrying out this duty, such as: the need for standards in such non-content areas as student performance, definition and measurement of standards, accommodation of variability and individualization, one or multiple performance standards, the voluntary nature of the standards, and standards as a de facto national curriculum. Another basic duty of NESIC is to certify voluntary national content standards and voluntary student performance standards. A number of questions arise here as well, such as what subjects should be included, the place of education of feelings and emotions, development of attitudes as tolerance or taking risks, inclusion of family life and health education, and the role of community service. In the area of opportunity-to-learn standards, there are uncertainties regarding what is "fair," what is "restricting" to State and local control of curriculum, and what will protect teachers' professional autonomy. Also needed is a clear articulation by NESIC of how assessment and content are to be aligned, along with strong measures to maintain that alignment. (Contains 11 endnotes.) (JDD)