The American Federation of Teachers has developed a series of documents to help educators develop appropriate achievement standards or to describe the standards of other countries. Ordering information is given for these documents and kits for setting standards in particular disciplines. (SLD)

Discussion of fiscal management in the reformed higher education systems of Eastern/Central Europe begins with analysis of reform attempts in two British universities and relates them to Eastern and Central European issues. It is argued that institutions must adopt a holistic approach to managing change and for addressing various staff, structure,…

Evaluations of rural and small schools done by stakeholders provide a broader base of involvement than those done internally by persons with a vested interest or potential conflict of interest. Presents tasks for initiating a stakeholders' evaluation, groups considered to be stakeholders, evaluation standards, and elements to include in a school…

Researchers advise school boards to make academic standards everyone's business; narrow standards' grade- and school-level focus; make standards-based decisions; invest in highly qualified teachers; demand helpful, well-aligned assessments; approach accountability cautiously; and intervene to help struggling students. Online resources are listed.…

Penetrates polarized rhetoric to examine four currently debated questions about high-stakes testing. Reframes certain questions: How can we provide instruction enabling students to score well on such tests without narrowing the curriculum? How can we restructure schools to help all children reach high standards? How can assessments be made more…

Charter schools must answer to public entities (bureaucratic accountability) and to participating parents, students, and teachers (market accountability). This study examines bureaucratic accountability, highlighting regulatory approaches of statewide charter-school authorizers in Arizona, Massachusetts, and Michigan. CSA's favor a…

Discusses what is known about cooperative performance incentive (CPI) plans, which are award programs that offer teachers and other school staff pay bonuses for achievement of specific schoolwide educational objectives. The paper describes and compares existing CPI models worldwide, analyzes their impact on student learning and school practices,…

Presents criteria for evaluating and comparing Web search tools designed for children. Highlights include database size; accountability; categorization; search access methods; help files; spell check; URL searching; links to alternative search services; advertising; privacy policy; and layout and design. (LRW)

School boards are challenged to reconcile differences between test-dominated accountability and the growing backlash against standards and assessments. The answer: a comprehensive accountability system that does not ignore state demands for improved achievement as measured by test scores, but places them in context with classroom practices. (MLH)

Responds to common charges against formal teacher education programs, arguing that contextual knowledge of classrooms and schools is crucial for novice teachers; raw intelligence is insufficient for accomplished teaching; accomplished performance will develop only over many years of effortful, deliberate practice; and high quality teacher…

This article reviews 15 research studies published from 1990 to 2000 examining effects of cooperative learning strategies on the academic achievement of students with learning disabilities. Despite design problems, the review finds that cooperative learning strategies that incorporate individual accountability and group rewards are likely to…

Argues that the rising tide of "efficiency" in contemporary education often masks reductions in educational quality and equity and efforts to reduce public investments in education. Analyzes historical and comparative examples in U.S., U.K., and Australian reform movements; the methodology of comparative education; and ongoing reforms in…

Examines how early childhood teachers in one Australian state use child observations. Argues that the current economic/political climate has produced changes for early childhood settings and that how teachers respond to changes regarding child observation depends on their work context. Suggests that the purpose of observation is changing and that…

Applies a inside/outside reciprocity metaphor to the top-down/bottom-up combinations required for school reform. Sustained change requires internal change, active connection to the outside community, and a challenging, but nurturing external infrastructure. There is also a fusion of the spiritual, the political, and the intellectual. (Contains 13…

Explains that states and regional accreditation boards have become more involved in assessment initiatives that strengthen organizational coordination and document outcomes. Outlines two examples of such activity. States that documentation of graduates' outcomes for purposes of monitoring program improvement and documenting accountability will…