All schools need to have a guiding set of statements called Expectations for Student Learning. Taken as a whole, these expectations describe the knowledge, skills, and values that students are expected to have when they graduate from high school. A school's Expectations for Student Learning must be fair and equitable for all students, as mandated by NCLB and by the Regents' regulations. The establishment and ratification of Expectations for Student Learning is a very important step, which must involve all segments of the school community.

It is important that each Expectation for Student Learning align with and be measurable against appropriate standards. For example, Expectations for Student Learning should be closely connected to the Grade Span Expectations (GSEs) of the Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (RIDE), Rhode Island's Common Core of Learning (Communication, Problem Solving and Decision Making, Personal and Social Responsibility), New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) learner outcomes, Applied Learning Standards, and/or other appropriate national standards.

Setting Expectations for Student Learning is the first step in developing a high school diploma system. A fair, valid, and measurable set of expectations will define what students need to know and be able to do. This, in turn, guides curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Setting Expectations for Student Learning is both a complex and essential process and cannot be accomplished quickly, nor should it be the responsibility of a few members of the school community.