Argues for a restructuring of teacher education in Kentucky aligning it with objectives articulated in the Kentucky Reform Education Act. Specifically asserts that teacher education needs to be directed more towards classroom experience as opposed to theoretical study. (MJP)

This paper discusses three issues relating to teacher certification in Kentucky. These issues are: (1) certification of teachers who work with children under the age of 6 years; (2) preparation of teachers for primary education; and (3) alternative certification. The first issue raises questions of whether Kentucky should require certification for…

Research was conducted to investigate how beginning teachers perceived the adequacy of their preparation for implementing primary school programs' critical attributes as specified by the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA). Although 89 out of 100 teachers reported their training programs contained information about KERA, 57% stated that most of…

Describes how the College of Education at the University of Kentucky is implementing Internet communications training for pre-service teachers and for teacher professional development programs. (RS)

Discusses the need for technology instruction in teacher education programs and describes a partnership among Western Kentucky University, four corporations, and three school districts that provided a technology center for Western Kentucky's College of Education. Roles of the participants are explained and the impact of the Kentucky Education…

Under the Kentucky Education Reform Act, Kentucky has redesigned curricular policies and instructional practices and has set in motion a process for restructuring teacher education by defining new standards for effective teaching and new requirements for certification. Guiding principles to prepare a teaching force able to implement school reform…

Reviews the implementation of the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) and explores its effects on higher education. The law, largely silent about higher education, does mandate a professional standards board for teacher certification, and there are implications for teacher education. Efforts at the University of Louisville to meet KERA challenges…

This paper places Kentucky's accountability program in the national context, and then describes how educators in four rural Kentucky school districts reacted to the program in the initial years of its implementation. The information is drawn from a qualitative study of the implementation of the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) in these four…

Teacher educators in Kentucky must prepare teachers who can meet the demands of the state's schools as articulated in the Kentucky Education Reform Act. Teacher educators themselves must demonstrate the kinds of practices that students are expected to learn and must recognize diversity and optimize the success of diverse populations. (SLD)

The Appalachia Educational Laboratory qualitative study of the implementation of five aspects of the Kentucky Education Reform Act in four rural school districts is now in its fourth year. This paper focuses on findings concerning the first year of the primary program, which was put into widespread operation in 1992-93. Nongraded primary programs…

The view of educational equity underlying the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) is apparent in the Kentucky primary education program. In addition to race, class, and gender equity concerns, the KERA primary program encompasses equity for gifted and special needs learners and teacher education for equity. (SLD)

One form of educational inequity faced by most students is that schools recognize only linguistic and logical intelligence and do not allow for forms of intelligence expressed through the arts. The performance-based assessments of the Kentucky Education Reform Act and the Kentucky Basic Arts pilot program address the multiple intelligences of…