Book excerpt: To assist parents and educators in preparing students for the twenty-first century, Wisconsin citizens have become involved in the development of challenging academic standards in 12 curricular areas. Having clear standards for students and teachers makes it possible to develop rigorous local curricula and valid, reliable assessments. This model of academic standards is for the area of family and consumer education. The introduction defines the academic standards, explains how they were developed, and suggests how to use and apply them across the curriculum. An overview of family and consumer education contains sections on the following topics: continuing concerns of the family; practical reasoning; family action; personal and social responsibility; work of family; and learning to learn. Sample proficiency standards are also included. (BT)