Discussion of high school graduation requirements for students with disabilities focuses on legal and practical issues including graduation standards, minimum competency testing, and termination of services. Recommendations are offered to help school districts establish a process for graduating students with disabilities within the legal framework…

Suggests that the laissez-faire market principles have failed to provide quality schooling in Macau (China) and that education as a public good requires considerable state intervention. Explores schooling in Macau as a case study to indicate how public goods and private services are neither polar opposites nor mutually exclusive. (CMK)

Examined the perceptions of Professional Development School (PDS) stakeholders to investigate the match between the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) Draft Standards and PDS practice. Focus group data indicated that many aspects of the standards were successfully reflected, though some practices were not. Results…

Social and economic instability accompanying the dissolution of the USSR and the creation of the Republic of Slovenia from the northern portion of the former Yugoslavia resulted in higher demand for, and participation in, secondary and tertiary education. Describes changes in educational policy that both facilitated and resulted from this…

Describes a lesson plan that uses Main Street images of three towns to encourage students to recognize and compare human and physical characteristics of places. The lesson teaches the geographic concepts of site (absolute location) and situation (relative location) as well as introducing students to urban geography. (MJP)

Technology will not save us from scarce resource problems by creating "virtual schools." Technology is an expensive investment, adding value more than reducing costs. Social capital is the collateral necessary for human capital development. Our education system must consider its academic and cultural roles, not just provide foot soldiers…

Examines perceived incompetence within Texas colleges of education, discussing: whether schooling promotes equality; prior analyses of the issue; grade inflation and social promotion; and student teachers' attitudes and curricular preferences. Overall, admissions standards are too low, resulting in marginal teachers who retard students' academic…

Early 21st-century jobs will be predominantly in the service area; only 20% will require high-level cognitive skills. Curriculum goals and standards should not serve the job market, but should foster humanistic ends and involve students in compelling social, political, environmental, and artistic issues. Higher standards are unattainable without…

Discusses the cooperative relationship between Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS) and the North Central Association, highlighting its evolution from the need to substantiate DoDDS student gains and ensure access to higher education. Suggests that the partnership enhances the ability of the DoDDS to provide quality education to…

In the 2000 presidential race, education seems a top priority for Vice-President Al Gore and Texas Governor George W. Bush. Although both candidates are promising billions of federal-aid dollars to raise standards, many believe they are ignoring factors such as student motivation and funding inequities. (MLH)

In its valiant differentiation and detracking efforts, a Virginia high school hoped to assist all students in mastering state standards and enrich, excite, and challenge high-ability students via learning contracts and advanced material feeding their interests. However, disgruntled parents managed to reinstate the tracking system. (MLH)

High-stakes testing creates a system that is unfair and destructive to learning. This paper critiques several common defenses of high-stakes testing, including claims that this strategy is necessary for addressing educational inequalities. The paper argues that an emphasis on tougher standards, accountability, and standardized testing is uniquely…

A Sacramento County district successfully combines rigorous standards with civic values and service learning, requires both algebra and geometry, and helps students pass the high school exit exam. The community has been involved in raising standards and developing accelerated learning programs at all 29 elementary schools. (MLH)

Surveyed graduate students in a practitioner-based teacher education program regarding standards of learning and teacher training. Respondents considered teacher modeling of various instructional strategies and attitudes the most influential instructional strategy. They believed teachers needed training in cultural issues, learning styles, and the…

Teachers were taught "Translation Activities" (TA) to teach science process skills in three special education schools in South Africa. In TA, information and data are provided as text, diagrams, tables, or graphs, and cooperative learning takes place. Teachers indicated the use of TA enabled them to deliver Outcomes Based Education.…