When Shanahan, Meehan, and Mogge (1994) reviewed the issue of professionalization, they characterized previous discussions and debates as controversial, negative, and heated, marked more by discord than unity. A key point of disagreement was whether or under what conditions certification could be considered necessary or desirable. They found only…

Students' brains are wired to make them natural, curious learners. The mathematical world around them offers a vast classroom, filled with shapes, spaces, quantities, and experiences to discover and explore, all leading to the construction of understanding. Teachers can use this natural curiosity to tap the inborn neural mechanisms that motivate…

"Lessons in Character" is designed to promote elementary and middle school students' knowledge about core character education values and, through that knowledge, shape children's positive behaviors and support academic success. It consists of 24 lessons organized around weekly themes, taught through stories, writing activities, and class…

This progress report details the objectives of the Guam Department of Education's District Action Plan and progress toward achieving them in fiscal year 03-04 and the first quarter of fiscal year 04-05. Areas covered are: (1) standards and assessment; (2) personnel quality and accountability; (3) federal, state, and local programs; (4) home-school…

This guide provides instructions to local education agencies about how to use California instructional materials standards maps. California Assembly Bill 699/Canciamilla Chapter 591 of the state Statutes of 2001 requires publishers to submit standards maps to local education agencies (LEAs), so school districts can determine the extent to which…

The fall 2004 and spring 2005 issues of Journal of Music Teacher Education, the online journal of MENC's Society for Music Teacher Education, in one print edition, includes a special issue on the future of music education, with articles about certification practices, second-career music teachers, music education philosophy and research for future…

The newest publication in the Spotlight series, this book gathers articles from state music educators association journals that give music teachers ideas on how to include special needs students, discuss why special learners benefit from music education, offer suggestions for dealing with specific types of special needs students, and address…

The year 2005 saw a number of reports calling for actions to ensure the future economic vitality of the United States, frequently through the improvement of science and mathematics education. This trend will likely continue into 2006 as policymakers at the state and federal levels look for ways to ensure the United States remains economically…

This document is designed to assist classroom teachers in preparing students to complete successfully the social studies component of the Alabama High School Graduation Exam (AHSGE). The teaching strategies, activities, and resources herein are meant to assist teachers in specifically addressing the mandated standards and objectives of the AHSGE.…

This manual contains special education standards and indicators for educating children with disabilities in Missouri. It is divided into four main sections. Section 1 contains special education compliance standards based upon the federal Office of Special Education Programs Continuous Improvement Monitoring Program clusters and indicators. The…

The Theatre Arts Standards of Learning identify the essential content and skills required in the theatre arts curriculum for the middle school and core high school courses in Virginia's public schools. The standards are designed to be cumulative and progress in complexity by course from the middle school through the secondary level. Throughout…

This report reviews existing research on the effects of high stakes tests on students, particularly students with disabilities. The review focuses on potential effects on the curriculum, student learning, attitudes and school climate, and the costs versus benefits of high stakes testing of students with disabilities. Results indicate that research…

In order to investigate the types of testing accommodations allowed for students with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) on exams used to determine whether a student earns a diploma, a study examined 18 states' written accommodations guidelines and testing policies. Each of the 18 states studied used a different test for its graduation…

This report discusses the many issues that need to be considered as states and districts begin to design and implement alternate assessments, which are used for students with severe cognitive delays or multiple disabilities or students who require such significant accommodations that the validity of the test would be compromised. The report…

This brief report describes efforts of the Oklahoma State Regents to accelerate positive academic change in the state's higher education system with a combination of strengthened admission, retention, and assessment standards. The first section presents the state's problem of lagging performance during the late 1980s, as indicated by data showing…