The existence of standardized tests drives the school curriculum, marginalizing nontested subjects. In particular, the arts (fine and applied) are all too often the first to be reduced or eliminated in a budget crisis. Even without a budget crisis, their position is precarious in today's "back to basics" environment, and teachers of these subjects…

President George W. Bush's approach to education policy has earned him cautious plaudits from otherwise hostile critics, who see much to admire in the implementation of standards for education. However useful such standards for testing students' technical skills like arithmetic and reading, they create problems for less-standardized processes like…

This report examines whether a high school curriculum organized around the five "new basics" suggested by the National Commission on Excellence in Education is likely to enhance student achievement. Data from the ETS Growth Study reveals that completion of the core curriculum has sizable effects on senior-year test performance, even when…

State legislation designed to help schools and students achieve "excellence" may spawn numerous unforeseen consequences. This article discusses seven potentially harmful reform ideas: extended school year, mimimum competency tests, reliance on standardized achievement tests, state-mandated courses or curricula, blue ribbon reform panels,…

To examine long-term effects of a fundamental elementary education in Mesa (Arizona), this study assessed student characteristics, academic achievement based on standardized testing, and social interactions based on high school extracurricular activities. Students who had attended the fundamental school for 6 complete years, had remained in the…