The overarching objective of North Dakota's State Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Plan is to ensure every school's graduation rate matches its Choice Ready rate, thus eliminating the honesty gap, so students, parents and the state are able to confidently place high value on the diplomas received. In partnership with a broad and diverse group of…

One method to develop leaders is through leadership development programs designed specifically for an intended context. The International Leadership Association (ILA) provides questions for designing programs such programs. This article reflects data collected during the process of developing a leadership program serving the broader agricultural…

All students, including students with disabilities, participate in state accountability systems. Many students participate in the regular assessment, with or without accommodations, but some students may require participation in an alternate assessment to demonstrate their knowledge and skills. Students with more significant cognitive disabilities…

All students, including students with disabilities, must be included in state accountability systems as required by law. In April 2007, federal regulations provided states the flexibility to offer another assessment option--an Alternate Assessment based on Modified Achievement Standards (AA-MAS) for some students with disabilities. The AA-MAS is…

In April 2007, Federal No Child Left Behind regulations were finalized that provided states with additional flexibility for assessing some students with disabilities. The regulations allowed states to offer another assessment option, alternate assessments based on modified academic achievement standards (AA-MAS). States are not required to have…

As part of Vermont's efforts to set shared educational goals, this document describes what is expected of Vermont students. It is designed as a guide to parents about what teachers and schools are doing to help students meet the state's new expectations. Vermont has defined an educational framework that encourages many different learning styles…

This report details Vermont's Framework of Standards and Learning Opportunities, designed to provide a structure from which standards-based curricula can be developed, organized, implemented, and assessed; to provide the basis for the development of a comprehensive assessment system; and to make explicit what may be included in statewide…

This report is the companion volume to the 1999 "National Education Goals Report," the ninth in a series of annual reports issued by the National Education Goals Panel to measure progress toward the eight National Education Goals. A U.S. scorecard is presented to summarize progress toward each of the 27 national indicators. The second…

This digest considers the use of performance assessment within outcomes-based accountability systems for students with and without disabilities. Application of performance assessment to students with disabilities involves defining the outcomes, developing performance standards, developing assessment accommodations, and scoring. Implications of…

This booklet outlines the standards for successful reading programs in Maryland as part of the national Right to Read effort. The first section discusses the purposes, development, and usage of established guidelines for the evaluation of successful reading programs. The second section discusses 28 standards to be met before a school's reading…

Three projects have been undertaken in Minnesota to define standards for student outcomes in postsecondary institutions. The Minnesota Higher Education Coordinating Board has focused on outcomes, standards, and criteria which may be used as templates for student assessment. The first project followed the publication of the State Department of…

An overview and critique, with special reference to independent schools, of the minimum competency testing movement as a solution to the political and educational furor over declining student achievement. (SJL)

Beginning in the mid- to late-1980s, state policymakers began to rethink their strategies for influencing curriculum and instruction in public education and adopted a policy strategy known as standards-based, systemic reform. This issue of "Consortium for Policy Research in Education (CPRE) Policy Briefs" examines how standards-based, systemic…

This report, ninth in a series, is designed to indicate progress made by the United States toward the eight National Education Goals. Following a statement of the eight Goals, part 1 explains the nature and purposes of the Goals. Part 2, "Summary of Progress to Date," evaluates national and state progress made toward these goals since…

Item specifications developed by the Arkansas Department of Education as part of the Minimum Performance Testing Program (MPT) appear in this document. Specifically, the social studies materials given to sixth-grade students on the MPT are included. The purpose of an item specification is to provide an overview of the general content and format of…