During the past 10 years, there has been a movement among state education departments to develop academic content standards, standards-based assessments of student achievement, and standards-related high school graduation requirements for students. This Digest discusses: (1) state content standards in history; (2) standards-based student assessment and graduation requirements; and (3) recommendations for improving history education through national and state content standards, assessments of student achievement in history, and graduation requirements. Lists 12 references. (BT)