The science of reading movement has done much to improve instruction in foundational skills. But that hard-won progress may be reversed unless we also help children acquire the knowledge and vocabulary they need to understand complex text. At the same time, the science of learning movement has introduced many educators to evidence-based teaching…

Discover a bold new vision for high school mathematics that empowers students through engaging, real-world learning. For decades, mathematics education has been guided by the visionary efforts of educators and leaders who recognized the importance of making math relevant, engaging, and accessible to all students. From the foundational principles…

Choosing instructional materials wisely is one of the most important jobs education leaders and teachers have, perhaps now more than ever. Unfinished academic instruction resulting from the COVID-19 crisis demands better ways to reignite student engagement and accelerate learning. At the same time, the disparate impact of the pandemic on students…

Sustainable Development Goal Four has to do with education in the post-2015 development agenda. It aims to "ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all". Given the essential role of curriculum in enabling quality learning and in articulating and supporting education that is…

This qualitative research study was an outcome evaluation of an alternative kindergarten curriculum to those currently used in most public schools. Tools of the Mind, a Vygotskian, play-based curriculum was implemented during the 2010-2011 school year in four kindergarten classrooms, involving data from approximately 50 students, within a public…

As policymakers contemplate expanding preschool opportunities for low-income children, one possibility is to fund 2, rather than 1 year of Head Start for children at ages 3 and 4. Another option is to offer 1 year of Head Start followed by 1 year of pre-K. We ask which of these options is more effective. We use data from the Oklahoma pre-K study…

As policy-makers contemplate expanding preschool opportunities for low-income children, one possibility is to fund two, rather than one year of Head Start for children at ages 3 and 4. Another option is to offer one year of Head Start followed by one year of pre-k. We ask which of these options is more effective. We use data from the Oklahoma…

Creating smart, coherent education policy is painstaking work; there are technical, budgetary, and political challenges at almost every turn. But it is some of the most important work that state leaders can undertake. As Ohioans prepared to elect a new governor in late 2018, we at the Fordham Institute began rolling out a set of policy proposals…

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent, to which factors in the process of decision making involved in curriculum development in Australia, have determined the quality of curriculum documents. Searches on web sites of education organisations and electronic databases of educational literature were conducted to identify source documents…

There is a growing interest in health literacy and in developing curricula for health care providers and for the general public. However, developing curriculum without accompanying evaluation plans is like starting a race without a finish line, and current measures of health literacy are not up to the task of evaluating curriculum. This research…

This document is an evaluation of the social science program in the Des Moines (Iowa) Public Schools. The program is a traditional instructional program that grows conceptually with the student and is designed to meet the needs of students and society. The elementary program meets state guidelines and is the expanding horizon program researched…

The Binghamton (New York) City School District uses test scores in an annual curriculum review to identify subjects in which students are academically weak and need improvement. (MD)

A sound physical education program is sensitive to the individual abilities and interests of students. The National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) offers a checklist to evaluate physical education programs. (MLF)

Both the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and the National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) have issued position statements on the use of animals in the classroom. Dissection has not become extinct, but its role is far smaller than it used to be. (MLF)

The instructional techniques currently in use in many classrooms across the country were developed to teach children the "basics" and to instill good working habits adaptable to the industrial age. Although the term "learning style" first appeared in research literature in the 1950s, it did not burst upon the education scene significantly until…