Outlining procedures involved in arriving at a newly adopted curriculum for the Oak Park, Illinois, high school of which he is the associate principal in charge of instruction, the author argues the importance of developing a comprehensive vision of educational priorities before considering specific curricular components. (JBM)

Criticizes the acceptance of the error quotient in evaluating linguistic achievement in the current "uniform" graduation examination in English. Offers examples of the unsuitability of this requirement and calls for a new, more balanced solution. (Text is in German.) (IFS/WGA)

Are charter school students in Dayton learning more than students in traditional district schools? You might be surprised to find that the answer is "yes," though there is still tremendous room for improvement on both sides. This analysis takes Ohio's 2004 School Report Card data from the state Department of Education and compares them with 2003…

Several forces are driving Alaska's school accountability initiatives. These include: (1) the Legislature's passage in 1997 and 1998 of the High School Graduation Qualifying Examination (HSGQE) and other accountability measures; and (2) the passage by the U.S. Congress of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. In the past, schools excluded some…

The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) was initiated in 1986 to collect data about all identified institutions whose primary purpose is to provide postsecondary education. Postsecondary education is defined within IPEDS as "the provision of a formal instructional…

This paper examines the impact of ethnic segmentation in education on educational outcomes. Between 1991 and the late 1990s, the Albanian Kosovar population received education services in an informal system parallel to the official one. Using the 2000 Kosovo Living Standard Measurement Survey (LSMS) data, this paper exploits cohort differences in…

For the past twenty years, federal and state education departments and school districts have been engaged in efforts that have touched every phase of public education. People have seen the emergence of the standards movement, "high-stake" testing, and an emphasis on school accountability. Requirements for those entering the teaching…

In October 2003, NCES asked the National Institute of Statistical Sciences (NISS) and the Education Statistics Services Institute (ESSI) to convene a task force of measurement and policy experts to examine current high school graduation, completion, and dropout indicators (GCD) and recommend improvements in the measures. The Task Force was asked…

This booklet is an explanation of what the Alaska High School Graduation Qualifying Examination means to Alaskans and how it fits into a larger school accountability reform initiative. The high school class of 2002 is the first group of students who will need to pass the High School Graduation Qualifying Examination to receive a high school…

This technical assistance paper is intended to provide updated guidance for Florida educators of students with disabilities concerning changes in identification, free appropriate public education (FAPE), placement, or dismissal from special education. Following an introductory section presenting the background, purpose, and relevant terms, the…

This paper describes education reforms over the past 25 years, considering the consequences of earlier state-level standards. Most states introduced stricter, state-level standards for high school graduation in response to highly publicized concerns about student effort and public school quality. The key first wave of reforms consisted of a…

This document was produced through a partnership among business, education, and state government pursuing statewide improvement in the teaching and learning of K-12 mathematics and science through the implementation of national standards for science and mathematics and the Minnesota Graduation Standards. Opening Conversations is one public…

Recent research on student achievement conducted by the National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP) indicates that American students are deficient in reading, mathematics, writing, and other skills. To reverse this trend, the Accountable Curriculum, a program that raises expectations for students was created. The program is a departure…

This study examined patterns of academic progress and outcomes in different inner city school settings (identified as gifted or geneal education) for African American and White lower, middle, and upper socioeconomic strata students. It followed 287 students' progress from kindergarten through their graduation year, 185 of whom were considered…

This report describes a recommended high school program which requires that students take specific courses for graduation, including credits in the core subject areas, in foreign languages, and in other areas. One relevant issue of concern is the availability of certified teachers in specific subject areas. The report focuses on: current course…