The Common Core State Standards Initiative seeks to prepare all students to graduate high school without remedial needs, to improve transparency across states' accountability systems, and to foster efficiencies in the development and distribution of educational resources. The reform was adopted in more than 40 states and has been described as…

Well before President Barack Obama vaulted early childhood learning to the top of the education agenda in his recent State of the Union address, states were taking steps to bolster their own preschool programs. More than a dozen states--including some, such as Hawaii and Mississippi, that have had no state-financed preschool programs in the…

As part of the "American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009," the U.S. Department of Education sponsored the "Race to the Top" competition to encourage education reforms anchored in improving teacher effectiveness as a driver for improving student-achievement outcomes and closing achievement gaps. The New York State…

U.S. educators and policymakers are concerned about the poor performance of the public schools, particularly schools that serve students from low-income families. Although education is primarily a state function, the federal government also has a longstanding interest in improving education for disadvantaged students, and it targets funding to…

The U.S. Department of Education set the following goals as measures of their annual performance: (1) Improve student achievement, with a focus on bringing all students to grade level in reading and mathematics by 2014; (2) Increase the academic achievement of all high school students; and (3) Ensure the accessibility, affordability and…

Excerpts of the 1980 Democratic Party platform dealing with education are presented, along with the complete text of the education section of the Republican Party platform. (LB)

The major candidates in the 1980 presidential election, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and John Anderson, present their opinions on the problems facing elementary education today, their plans for improving it, and their views on the future of the new Department of Education. (SJL)

The "ERIC Review" is published three times per year and announces research results, publications, and new programs relevant to each issue's theme topic. This issue introduces readers to the issues surrounding the inclusion of students with disabilities in general education classrooms, and provides information for schools moving to adopt…

Focusing on legislation expected to be addressed by the 105th Congress, this booklet sets forth an agenda for the nation's community colleges, developed by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) and the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT). An introductory section provides background on community colleges, indicating…

The 1990 Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act established an accountability system for vocational education based on "outcomes" such as academic skill gains, job placement, and program completion. Current congressional proposals for workforce training differ in the emphasis they place on individuals,…

This annual report outlines the mission, values, and goals of New Zealand's Early Childhood Development board (ECD), established in 1989 to promote the development and provision of high quality, accessible, and culturally appropriate educational and developmental facilities/services for families and young children. The report contains a directory…

Position papers of the American Association of Dental Schools are presented concerning peer review in dentistry, individual and institutional freedoms and responsibilities, national health programs, the definition of interdisciplinary education, use of ionizing radiation in dental schools, and due process in student evaluation disputes. (MSE)

Research conducted by the General Accounting Office (GAO) indicates that the current system of multiple employment training programs requires major overhaul to reduce costs, streamline the bureaucracy, and improve results. The current system of 163 different federal employment training programs wastes resources and confuses and frustrates clients,…

The 1981 policy statement of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) is presented. AASCU believes that low tuition offers the primary guarantee of access to educational opportunity with far more certainty than student aid programs alone. Aspects of the Higher Education Act of 1980 that AASCU has strongly supported…

The impact of 1996 federal welfare reform legislation on state work force development programs was examined through a study of work force development programs and policies in 13 states: Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin. The study focused on…