This document is designed as a self-assessment tool for districts to gauge their progress in implementing college- and career-readiness standards. This tool was primarily designed to help central office leaders and staff assess implementation at a systems level. Each section provides a core set of leading questions, along with descriptions of what…

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) represent the culmination of years of collaboration and effort by states, science educators and experts from across the United States. Based on the National Research Council's "A Framework for K-12 Science Education" and developed in partnership with 26 lead states, the NGSS, when…

This Special Issues Brief from the "Center on Great Teachers and Leaders" (GTL Center) introduces an approach to creating coherence among three potentially transformative instructional reforms: implementation of the Common Core State Standards for student learning, new standards-based teacher evaluation systems, and job-embedded…

As of the writing of this report, the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are being implemented in 45 states and the District of Columbia. Approaches to implementing the standards, however, are highly varied. For the past 3 years, Research For Action (RFA) has been tracking how one approach to implementing the literacy standards--the Literacy…

This technical guide to the South Dakota Mathematics Standards serves as a critical model for educators and school districts in effectively implementing the standards. This guide features the goals, indicators, benchmarks, and grade level standards for South Dakota. It is organized by grade level clusters according to benchmark levels K-2, 3-5,…

The contents of this "Tool Kit" have been developed as resources to support state efforts to develop and implement rigorous standards for student achievement. The components have been planned as tools for planning and evaluating the development and implementation of content and performance standards. The following components are included: (1)…

This report provides guidance and information on resources to assist elementary schools, parents, community members, and policymakers in implementing a systemic approach to standards-based education. It makes clear recommendations on how schools can achieve a coordinated system in which standards, assessment, accountability, and curriculum are…

This handbook is intended as a resource for schools and districts interested in developing and implementing a standards-based assessment system. The chapters in the handbook introduce key steps in the assessment development process. Several types of on-demand and cumulative assessments are emphasized, including multiple-choice and written-response…

The purposes of this book are to help teachers understand the rationale and nature of the current emphasis on U.S. education on standards and to provide classroom teachers with guidance on the many ways the standards movement might affect their classrooms. Approaches to implementing standards may be organized into two general categories, indirect…

A framework for designing academic standards and for refining these standards through a curriculum- design process is provided in this book. The book is intended as a step- by-step guide than can be picked up and followed by any interested educator. Chapter 1 begins with a brief discussion concerning the need for standards and examines several…

This planning guide begins with a working definition of "magnet school" and then gives short descriptions of six sample types of elementary level magnet programs: a fundamental or academic prep school, a Montessori school, a music academy, an earth science school or environmental center, a bilingual-multicultural magnet, and a fine arts academy.…

Intended to improve mathematics education at two-year colleges and other institutions offering lower division courses as well as to encourage more students to study mathematics, this publication presents the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges' (AMATYC's) standards for revitalizing the pre-calculus mathematics curriculum and…

This guide provides a road map for Connecticut school districts as they develop and implement a world languages program appropriate for the 21st century. It describes what students should know and be able to do at various grade levels and stages of language learning. The five chapters include the following: (1) "Introduction" (overview…

The purpose of this document is to assist Florida school districts in implementing the General Educational Development (GED) Exit Option Model for students at risk of not completing high school. Students must be at least 16 years of age and currently enrolled in high school to take the GED tests through the GED Exit Option Model. In addition, the…

The standards described in this document cover the critical aspects of business teacher education at the collegiate level. The standards are organized into two parts. Part 1, which deals with basic programs ordinarily leading to initial teacher preparation and a baccalaureate degree, outlines standards pertaining to the following aspects of…