Like many efforts in this category, it was a good thought, but left something to be desired in the execution. Some of us remember back to the last several rounds of math standards coming out of NCTM, dating back to the '80s. NCTE has similar ones for literacy. Curriculum fads come and go regularly.
National standards have been part of the educational system for quite a long time, actually, but implemented mainly through textbook publisher oligopolies (increasingly approaching monopoly).
What's less consistent is actually state assessments and high school graduation requirements. If you take algebra II, you will probably receive the same algebra II course anywhere in North America, but in some states you aren't required to take algebra II to graduate. Or four years of math, for that matter.
