Professional development has been a focus of public education since World War II, yet, it was not until the passage of the Goals 2000: Educate America Act in 1994 that professional development became federally mandated. The infusion of educational technology at the start of Goals 2000 created a natural connection with professional development. In…

Discusses how three states are implementing the Goals 2000: Educate America Act, focusing on Massachusetts' Common Core of Learning, Delaware's First Schools in the First State pilot curriculum project, and Oregon's Initial Mastery and Advanced Mastery certificates. Notes that one of the aims of Goals 2000 is to make states true laboratories of…

This document is designed to help community-based organizations (CBOs) and civil rights groups get involved as full partners in developing a voluntary, national system of skill standards, assessment, and certification. Section 1 explains the benefits to CBOs and civil rights groups of becoming involved in the skill standards development. Section 2…

Assessing students for workplace readiness requires that schools know what skills and knowledge students need to succeed at work and how to foster their acquisition. Having seen that the educational systems of global competitors provided them with a significant advantage over the United States, policymakers have attempted to address some…