Intent of Assurance of Learning Standards 

Assurance of Learning Standards evaluate how well the school accomplishes the educational aims at the core of its activities.  The learning process is separate from the demonstration that students achieve learning goals.  Do students achieve learning appropriate to the programs in which they participate?  Do they have the knowledge and skills appropriate to their earned degrees?  Because of differences in mission, student population, employer population, and other circumstances, the program learning goals will differ from school to school.  Every school should enunciate and measure its educational goals.  Few characteristics of the school will be as important to stakeholders as knowing the accomplishment levels of the school's students when compared against the school's learning goals.

Assurance of learning to demonstrate accountability (such as in accreditation) is an important reason to assess learning accomplishments. Measures of learning can assure external constituents such as potential students, trustees, public officials, supporters, and accreditors, that the organization meets its goals.

Another important function for measures of learning is to assist the school and faculty members to improve programs and courses.  By measuring learning the school can evaluate its students’ success at achieving learning goals, can use the measures to plan improvement efforts, and (depending on the type of measures) can provide feedback and guidance for individual students.