Independent schools--and their teachers and administrators--are, as the name suggests, fiercely independent. So when the Common Core State Standards hit the national stage in March 2010 and became the center of the national conversation on education, it was no surprise that the majority of independent schools dismissed the standards as another…

The California Collaborative on District Reform convened in Oakland for a two-day meeting, "Integrating Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning to Advance Equity and Achievement." The meeting explored methods to support and integrate academic, social, and emotional learning in K-12 education. Implementation efforts surrounding the…

Math in Common® (MiC) is a five-year initiative that supports a formal network of 10 California school districts as they implement the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics (CCSS-M) across grades K-8. In spring 2015, WestEd administered surveys to understand the perspectives on Common Core State Standards-Mathematics (CCSS-M) implementation…

The National Geographic Society, the Association of American Geographers, the American Geographical Society, and the National Council for Geographic Education partnered to outline a "road map" for long-term strategies to improve K-12 geography education. The partner organizations assembled three committees to create synthesis reports, each of…

The purpose of this article is to describe lessons learned from studying the leadership in eight award-winning secondary schools and districts that were recognized for successfully leveraging technology as part of their efforts for school improvement. Data were collected through observations, interviews, and document analysis in schools and…

The "Multiple Intelligences, Curriculum and Assessment Project" at University College Cork was a collaborative project carried out between 1995 and 1999. The key research question focused on whether Howard Gardner's theory of Multiple Intelligences could be applied to, and enhance, aspects of curriculum and assessment at primary and…

The purpose of this "Handbook" is to bolster the effective implementation of the intervention models and strategies outlined in the "2010 School Improvement Grant" (SIG) program--section 1003(g) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)--in order to achieve the program's clear goal--rapid improvement of persistently…

Alberta Education is currently considering options for enhancing health and learning outcomes of students and is exploring opportunities to develop new wellness-related curriculum. This literature review is a component of this exploratory process that will inform curriculum development and was undertaken to: (1) provide a comprehensive review of…

This practicum concentrated on the need for a social studies critical thinking continuum in the middle school. An oral interview with personnel in one Florida school district's Social Studies Program Development Department revealed that a critical thinking continuum did not exist. A review of the literature on critical thinking indicated that many…

In 1997, Edmonton Public Schools (Alberta, Canada) began developing a process to engage teachers in curriculum alignment with a view to improving student achievement. Ten principles guiding the curriculum alignment framework are listed, followed by first-year results and factors that led to the framework's success. (CDS)

Despite need for a high-technology work force, science education has deteriorated since late 1950s. Necessary correctives include more science courses, better science teachers, curriculum reform, more dependable funding, rewards for teaching excellence, and a national curriculum for science education. Business/industry/education partnerships can…

Federal legislation passed in 1994 and the Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration program (CSRD) encourage high-poverty Title I schools to adopt prepackaged research-based models of schoolwide reform. The nine components of CSRD and key ingredients for its implementation are discussed. Eleanor Roosevelt Elementary School (Vancouver, Washington)…

Describes the results of a study of three programs successfully teaching basic skills. Characteristics of successful schools include careful alignment of curriculum and instruction and grade-level instructional planning. (Author/JM)

Presented are brief descriptions and comments by administrators of some California arts programs on producing a quality arts program inexpensively. Topics discussed are: initiating a Comprehensive Arts program, the use of CETA artists-in-residence, curriculum development, and the coordination of a high school fine arts program. (Author/SJL)

Each year staff members in the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, Division of School Improvement, conduct onsite visits to each of the most improved schools, K-12, as identified by the ABCs of Public Education. Using a structured-interview process, staff members talk with administrators and teachers to determine what strategies…