The Northland Pines School District has adopted the Wisconsin Academic Standards for Language Arts, Math, and Social Studies, as well as the Next Generation Science Standards for Science. The State of Wisconsin released new ELA standards in June 2020 and new Math standards in June 2021; NPSD is following the three year implementation plan provided by the Department of Public Instruction to ensure the rollout of these new standards is completed at a high level. The District also implements the Wisconsin Academic Standards for all other academic areas and elective courses. Physical Education and Music national standards are also referenced and aligned to state standards and curriculum programming.

All standards include college and career readiness skills and applications in addition to academic content. Disciplinary literacy and cross cutting topics that allow students to make interdisciplinary learning connections are embedded within content area standards. Additionally, the Information and Technology Literacy Standards are infused into all curricular areas. The Northland Pines School District also uses the Wisconsin Model Early Childhood Standards and the Essential Standards for Special Education.

On a local level, NPSD staff have collaboratively agreed upon identified Promise Standards. Promise Standards are the most essential standards per grade level and subject. Teachers still provide instruction around all standards, however, the Promise Standards are those that are identified as most important. These are the standards that are formally assessed and reviewed to ensure student proficiency. Promise Standards chosen are also broken down into daily learning targets; these targets are used to drive student goals and learning; they are used daily within instruction and are the foundation of unit plan development.