Many technical, test design, and implementation questions are involved in designing new statewide assessments. These are all critical, shaping often underexamined aspects of testing: student test experience and families' perceptions of testing in this new structure. Although the state outreach to students and families is needed generally, it is…

Computer science (CS) education helps students acquire skills such as computational thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration, among others. As these skills take preeminence in the rapidly changing 21st century, CS education promises to significantly enhance student preparedness for the future of work and active citizenship. Based on prior…

All tax credit scholarship (TCS) programs are state programs. States develop program policies and requirements, including establishing the roles and responsibilities of scholarship granting organizations (SGOs) and participating private schools. The President's fiscal year 2020 budget request included a proposal for federal tax credits for…

This report presents results from a study of the Council of State Science Supervisors (CSSS). CSSS is a professional association for state science leaders that works to sustain and nurture a dynamic learning community and to empower its members to be effective and articulate advocates for quality science education at the local, state, and national…

The need for standards-aligned curricula is the most cited Common Core challenge for states, districts, and schools. Yet five years into that implementation, teachers still report scrambling to find high-quality instructional materials. Despite publishers' claims, there is a dearth of programs that are truly aligned to the demands of the Common…

This study reports on results of a survey of the Council of State Science Supervisors (CSSS). CSSS is a professional organization composed of supervisors of science education in State Education Agencies. The organization works to sustain and nurture a dynamic learning community that empowers its members to be effective and articulate advocates for…

The U. S. is losing its competitive edge in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Thomas Friedman warns that America is not producing enough young people in STEM fields that are essential for entrepreneurship and innovation in the 21st century (The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century, 2005). Blue ribbon…

State policies to encourage elementary teachers to teach for understanding and thinking are more comprehensive in California than in any other state. Based on in-depth interviews with eight curriculum and policy experts and an analysis of over 100 documents, this report describes efforts being advanced across six policy fronts: (1) curriculum…

This document describes the basic education program for the state of North Carolina, as revised by the North Carolina State Board of Education. The first section describes a fundamentally complete program of instruction that would give the student a thorough grounding in the following areas: the arts, communication skills, healthful living,…

In a study designed to determine the impact of state curriculum initiatives on curriculum framework, student assessment, and textbook adoption in the science curriculum, researchers interviewed state education agency staff, completed four case studies in four districts, and surveyed 100 school districts at random in each of the three diverse…

This brochure is designed to acquaint persons involved in elementary and secondary instruction in New York State with State syllabi and the State testing program. The New York State testing program was mandated to measure student achievement and program effectiveness in the areas of mathematics, English language arts (reading and writing),…

Highlights recent efforts to create a national social studies curriculum and briefly discusses the new California state curriculum guide. Reports on the efforts of ERIC/ChESS to include state and local curriculum guides in the database, identifies several available resources, and encourages readers to contribute guides for consideration. (GEA)

This document provides general instructional guidelines for district administrators and teachers in Texas as they attempt to meet the goal of preparing students for citizenship in a democracy. The framework includes the legal requirements for social studies and provides guidelines to school districts in planning social studies programs for grades…

The intent of this guide is to extend the 1977 document, "A Framework for Environmental Education in the Public Schools of Hawaii," (ED 196 726) so as to provide more specific guidelines for teachers and administrators. Chapter I contains introductory material pertaining to the guiding principles and rationale for environmental…

This publication represents the state model for environmental education curriculum for kindergarten through grade twelve in Delaware's schools. The document defines environmental education, lists major curriculum objectives and guidelines, and stresses the importance of the interdisciplinary approach. Four model units, representing the grade level…