The National Education Association developed this audit tool for interested affiliates to use to assess standards-based education in their states by gathering and analyzing information about its implementation and to array the information they gather against a set of standards that can help ensure that standards-based education fulfills its promise. The audit tool will also help in the development of an action plan to strengthen standards-based education. The audit tool is built around 10 standards that describe an integrated standards-based education system. The audit involves four steps: (1) tailor the audit tool for the state in question; (2) gather implementation evidence for each of the 10 standards; (3) summarize the audit findings; and (4) develop an action plan to improve standards-based education. A graphic overview of these 4 steps is followed by the 10 standards, with examples of indicators, key implementation questions, and supporting evidence for each standard. The tool also includes forms that can be used to add to the indicators and modify the key questions and supporting evidence and summarize the audit findings for each standard. The final section of the tool arrays questions related to developing an action plan. (SLD)