The increase in large-scale standardized testing in the nation's schools is one major result of demands for accountability. Such testing also impacts many aspects of school and family life and culture. For some, certain unintended impacts may be like side effects of medicines that need to be tolerated; for others they raise larger questions about…

President George W. Bush's "No Child Left Behind" plan for educational improvement is based on four principles: accountability for results; local control and flexibility; expanded parental choice; and effective and successful programs. Improving education, however, will require more than just state officials, school boards, and school…

This issue brief offers principles and guidelines for evaluating educational policies on the inclusion of students with disabilities in general education settings. Special education's development into an increasingly separate system since 1975 is noted, as is the continuing influence of policies that segregate students by disability. The brief…

English and Spanish versions of a guide to testing reform are presented. The guide explains alternatives to standardized testing for educational assessment and shows how these new methods of evaluation will improve education. Standardized tests are used for an increasing number of purposes in the school system, but there is no proof that their use…

This annual report describes some of the major activities currently under way across California to implement educational reforms. The achievements described focus on raising standards in California schools, providing technical support to school districts, and charting progress at the local level through a statewide accountability program. The…