This guide focuses on the curriculum and assessment requirements in Grades 10, 11, and 12 and the related policies for the B.C. Graduation Program. The guide provides a common understanding among educators, students, parents, post-secondary institutions, business, and government of the policies of the B.C. Graduation Program. The B.C. Graduation…

ACTA's What Will They Learn?® (WWTL) project is designed to help students choose the best college or university for them. The printed report and its online companion WhatWillTheyLearn.com represent the only assessment of U.S. colleges and universities that focuses on what schools are actually teaching. This report assigns grades to over 1,130…

"What Will They Learn?" has been documenting for the last 13 years the crisis of weak core curriculum requirements. In addition to helping students choose the right college for the right reasons, American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) works with college and university leaders on campuses around the country to strengthen curricula…

In this 12th edition of its flagship annual survey of college general education curricula, "What Will They Learn?," American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) shines a light on the wide disparity in academic standards at institutions of higher learning across the country. "What Will They Learn?" reviews the core curricula…

Adopted by 45 states, the Common Core State Standards are now in full implementation throughout the country. Parents need to be informed about these new rigorous, college-and career-ready standards in order to support their children's learning and development. As critical partners in children's education, this article highlights some of…

The charter sector has grown dramatically since its beginnings in Minnesota almost a quarter of a century ago. Today, an estimated 2.5 million children attend approximately 6,400 charter schools across the country, and all but 8 states have charter laws in place. The expansion of the sector has been accompanied by an increase in public commentary…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) State of the Union Preview: In Email to Supporters, Obama Highlights Economy and Jobs, Education, Deficit Reduction, and…

In the past, correct spelling, the multiplication tables, the names of the state capitals and the American presidents were basics that all children were taught in school. Today, many children graduate without this essential knowledge. Most curricula today follow a haphazard sampling of topics with a focus on political correctness instead of…

Stresses the importance of music and other arts in the core curriculum of public schools, noting necessary features of school music programs. Examines many of the reasons why music and arts are being pushed toward the periphery of public education and discusses what parents can do to reverse the direction. (SM)

Teachers, principals and parents often ask about the effectiveness of Core Knowledge. This article is meant to answer that question, by providing a brief overview of some of the most recent and most relevant research on Core Knowledge. This document has been divided into two sections. The first section treats direct evidence; the second looks at…

In 2004, Commissioner of Education D. Kent King appointed a statewide task force to study Missouri high schools and make recommendations on strengthening the ways they help students prepare for life after high school. The State Board of Education adopted the following recommendations in 2005 and 2006. The State Board of Education increased minimum…

This handbook, designed for classroom teachers, administrators, and parents of limited-English-proficient (LEP) children, describes aspects of successful bilingual education program design. In general, the handbook's focus is on school settings with large numbers of LEP students. Chapter 1 reviews research findings on effective program design and…

Sources in this annotated bibliography are intended to assist cooperative efforts by teachers, district language arts supervisors, communication consultants, reading specialists, parents, principals, teacher educators, and state education office personnel in their efforts at furthering the speech and language growth of elementary school students.…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) Sitting at Home on Graduation Day: New Report Says that 1.2 Million Students From the Class of 2006 Failed to…

In February 1989, statewide assessment tests in reading, mathematics, and writing were given to a sample of eighth graders throughout Oregon. The results and analyses of reading and mathematics assessments are presented. Important trends are described based on the analysis of data from 1985, 1987, and 1989. The 1989 information provides the first…