This paper describes the feedback included in operational achievement level setting (ALS) procedures for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). It does not describe the feedback form field trials, pilot studies, or other research studies related to the NAEP. The NAEP ALS process includes three rounds of item-by-item ratings, and…

Youth courts, comprising teen courts, peer juries, peer courts, student courts, and other courts wherein juveniles sentence juvenile respondents, have rapidly gained popularity. In 1991 there were over 50 youth courts in 14 states. By 2002, the number of youth courts grew to more than 850 in 46 states and the District of Columbia. This digest…

This paper considers how well today's young adolescents are prepared for their future roles as citizens, noting that the public schools have a unique opportunity to positively affect their students' civic knowledge, values, and behaviors. The paper contends that recent research suggests that the next generation of citizens may lack the knowledge,…

Standards for teaching, learning, and assessing civics or democratic citizenship should emphasize two centrally important concepts: (1) constitutionalism; and (2) human rights. If students in schools and citizens in the polity fail to know, value, and act in terms of these concepts, then their prospects for building and maintaining liberal…

Presents a lesson plan for high school students that focuses on the topic of immigration. Encompasses issues, such as the data on immigration, the history of immigration, and policies and opinions on immigration. Includes a student handout on immigration policy. This unit can be covered in approximately two to three days. (CMK)

Finds that eighth grade students in Facing History and Ourselves classrooms show increases in relationship maturity and decreases in racist attitudes and self-reported fighting behavior relative to comparison students. Reports that the gains made by Facing History students in moral reasoning and in civic attitudes and participation were not…

Reports the results from a 1999 survey conducted through phone interviews to identify which states were using assessments in social studies and to describe the types of assessments being used. Finds that two-thirds of the states conduct assessments in social studies while most assessments use objective questions. (CMK)

Focuses on the development of Russian civic education. Provides a confirmation of the development of civic awareness of the younger generation in Russia. States that a significant factor in the transition to the attainment of civic self-sufficiency is the educational process. (CMK)

Based on the 1989 presidential address to the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS), the article discusses the role that social studies education plays in developing citizenship skills. States that society cannot leave to chance the promotion of citizenship in successive generations. Calls for the NCSS members to unite their efforts to…

Notes that the curriculum standards under development by the National Council for the Social Studies incorporate authentic learning assessment tasks and suggest ways that civic participation experiences can be included and the subsequent learning assessed. Discusses instruction and assessment opportunities involving citizenship education. (RS)

Continues a discussion of the state of secondary social studies in Saudi Arabia. Discusses the preparation of textbooks and their use by Saudi teachers. Notes problems with the texts and teachers' use of nontext materials in their teaching. Offers conclusions and recommendations for improving social studies education in Saudi Arabia. (DSK)

Responds to the 50th anniversary of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by arguing that elementary school is an appropriate place to begin teaching about human rights. Outlines the rights enumerated in the UDHR, provides related activities for primary and intermediate grades, and suggests related Web sites. (DSK)

Presents a basic lesson on the complex problems of judicial interpretation for a high-school government survey. Includes lesson objectives, background on lesson design, overview information for students, a list of student materials, expected time for lesson, procedural outline, bibliography, and two student handouts. (DSK)

Summarizes activities of the 105th Congress related to telecommunications. Includes discussions of a Senate measure to stop telephone "slamming," a new statute to prevent the alteration of electronic serial numbers of cellular telephones, bills related to Internet content restrictions, and a bill to open telecommunications satellite…