The general purpose of education standards is to reset the goals for education, then make curriculum programs, classroom instruction, and education assessments more coherent through processes of reform. So, we have to begin as soon as possible (ASAP). In the context of this chapter, ASAP stands for both “as soon as possible” and “assessing standards to adapt programs.” The chapter progresses from an analysis of first-generation standards to the current Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). It introduces different forms of standards and clarifies those relationships to curriculum and instruction. The chapter’s activities set the stage for the adaptation or development of school programs and classroom practices. Teacher background information, standards, assessments, and references are provided. This book selection also includes the Table of Contents, Foreword, Preface, About the Author, Introduction, Appendix D, and Index.