This document is part of the series, "New Expeditions: Charting the Second Century of Community Colleges," sponsored by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Initiative. This paper addresses the issues related to access at community colleges. Increases in high school completion rates have generated an enormous demand for higher education, much of which is…

This guide is designed to give the student helpful information about Arizona's Instrument To Measure the Standards (AIMS) for grade 8. The guide provides examples of the type of questions students see on AIMS and explains how items are scored. It does not teach what the student needs to know to do well on AIMS, but it will help the student know…

This study examined the implementation of standards-based reforms in urban schools with high concentrations of low-income students, highlighting the influence of state policy on the development and implementation of school standards. Researchers examined the type of state policy three school districts were exposed to, level of teachers' awareness…

This paper discusses federal requirements for addressing general education curriculum standards and student participation in educational assessments in the Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) of students with disabilities. Specific regulations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act are cited, and the following recommendations are…

The Program in Immigrant Education (PRIME) was created in 1993 by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to focus on immigrant secondary education and the challenges faced by older limited English proficient students and the high-poverty schools they attend. This report documents the changes in immigrant student populations and notes the challenges faced…

This policy brief reviews how students with special needs have been affected by changing legislation, examines new directions in policymaking, and identifies steps policymakers can take to ensure that all students benefit from standards-based education reform efforts. Steps include: (1) bring standards-based instruction into institutions of higher…

This curriculum framework for the arts defines expectations for student learning in the arts in New Hampshire. The framework standards do not comprise a curriculum with designated course offerings, teaching methods, or materials; instead, they provide a vision for the future, outlining expectations for student learning at the end of grades 4, 8,…

This lesson for grade 12 is designed to raise student awareness of the potential of human cloning and of the effects it could have on the present, naturally born population. Students work in teams to research the issue and are provided with background information, detailed instructions, on-line resources, and reflection questions. The teacher's…

This paper describes the competency-based early childhood preservice program at Iowa's Mount Mercy College, which is for people working with children from birth through age 8, including children with special needs. Program content encompasses five competency areas: child growth and development; developmentally appropriate learning; health, safety,…

This guidebook provides an overview of the Common Framework for Skill Standards (CFSS) developed by the National Skill Standards Board (NSSB). It is designed for voluntary partnerships, convening groups, and anyone interested in learning more about how skill standards can increase the skills and productivity of American workers. A companion…

To assign grades that accurately communicate student performance, conscientious teachers must ensure their grading is consistent with that of other teachers, reveals student progress, and remains sensitive to impacts on student motivation and parent reaction. Teachers, parents, and administrators of the Round Rock Independent School District in…

This text presents a framework and strategies for ensuring that students with disabilities have access to the general education curriculum. Chapter 1 discusses standards-based reform and the links between standards and curriculum. The three domains of knowledge for ensuring access are also introduced: content knowledge, learning processes, and…

This comparison of standards-based reform with rural school improvement efforts that emphasize locally responsive, place-based curricula reveals differences and similarities in the two movements. The standards-based movement is focused on setting state and national standards that all students must meet, suggesting a common curricular focus. Most…

This document contains proceedings of a conference that fostered discussion on how low-performing schools become successful. Principal speakers were Michael Cohen, Assistant Secretary, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Department of Education, who spoke about the demand for increased performance and high standards; Dennis Parker,…

In its 20th year, History Day in California, a statewide program, is a history-based learning experience for students from grades 4-12. Through participation in History Day, students not only learn about issues, ideas, people, and events in history, but they apply what they have learned through creative and original productions and by developing…