The best replacement for standards is guidelines.

The best alternatives to standards are rated as following:
★★★★★  guidelines
★★★★  specifications
★★★  objectives
★★★  regulations
★★  gaap
★★  curriculum
★★  benchmarks
★★  policies
★★  expectations
★★  norms
★  national standards
★  state standards
★  rules
★  quirks mode
★  common core
★  controls
★  performance standards
★  codes
★  teks
★  budgets
★  taxes
  california state standards
  standards
  no child left behind
  horizontal standards
  community standards
  challenge standards
  supporting standards
  content standards
  framework
  corporate identity guidelines
  us gaap
  public standards
  astm standards
  frameworks
  criteria
  principles
  normal standards
  policy
  ethical standards
  standardization
  competencies
  ela standards
  best practices

Your alternative for standards is not listed? Suggest!
Speaking about standards, one probably shouldn't forget about curriculum.

Other search terms related to standards and their ratings are:
★★★★★ curriculum
★★★ ell proficiency standards
ifrs
lesson plans
icd 9-cm guidelines
You have in mind a companion for standards and it is not yet here? Propose!



Google Trends

Scale is based on the average worldwide traffic of standards in all years. Click on graph for more.
standards
guidelines
specifications