Over 30 years of research confirms the foundational importance of early education and care for children's school and life success. As Pennsylvania seeks to emphasize its early learning programs, a standards-based approach to pre-kindergarten programs is vital. Children are born with an incredible capacity and desire to learn. It is critical that…

This book draws on observations and interviews over a two-year period to show the capacity of one elementary school to understand and implement state-mandated reforms. The chapters are: (1) "Mission Elementary: An Introduction"; (2) "High Standards, Competing Priorities, and Complexity at Mission Elementary"; (3) "Managing…

While there are lots of books about education that propose to change what is done in classrooms and schools, here's one that promises to transform how educators think. Drawing from 35 years of taking on tough schools with disadvantaged kids and achieving the kind of progress that many thought "couldn't be done", Dennis Littky explains the…

This Knowledge Brief argues for the value of creating a district accountability system that complements the state?s federally prescribed effort. It also identifies essential decisions that must be made in developing a local system and includes or points to resources that can help inform and guide the process. No Child Left Behind (NCLB) requires…

This book is designed to help educators move from a system that measures students against students to one that values mastery of central concepts and skills, striving for proficiency in publicly acknowledged standards of academic performance. It aims to connect the operative parts of standards-based education (standards, assessment, curriculum,…

This report describes efforts by Achieve, Inc. to raise standards and reduce the achievement gap. In 2001, Achieve expanded its efforts to benchmark standards and accountability policies across the states, focusing on three states at the forefront of standards based reform (Maryland, Massachusetts, and Texas), while continuing to examine the…

Accountability was the focus of this study of the attitudes of program personnel toward the teacher association-formulated and State Board-approved Standards for Agricultural Education in Georgia. Data were collected from state Agricultural Education personnel by securing their reactions to 32 statements about the Standards. Eighty-five percent of…

The reason for creating this resource was to produce a booklet that was concise and reflected the character and uniqueness of Vermont schools and, at the same time, reflect the ongoing nature of the curriculum improvement process. This document was intended for schools and districts in all phases of curriculum improvement, from creation through…

This collection of essays focuses on educational testing, showing how testing encroaches on teacher freedom and how narrow standards can actually reduce student achievement. The chapters are: (1) Testing Is Not Teaching; (2) The Freedom Factor; (3) Sharing Power with Intelligent Expectation; (4) Everyone Has a Story To Tell; (5) Lets Change the…

Many Waldorf methods charter schools are opening up in California today. They are publicly funded schools bringing Waldorf methods into public education. In today's political climate all public schools must pass the state's bar of academic success measured by their Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). Because these scores are based largely on…

This guide describes the 'eyes, yardsticks, and noses' that will help communities consider goals for mathematics education, evaluate curricula, and plan a successful adoption process. This guide focuses on the 13 programs supported by the K-12 Mathematics Curriculum Center, though many of the ideas discussed are not specific to these particular…

In 1967, the National Art Education Association published an official position statement, "The Essentials of a Quality School Art Program," intended for use by individuals and groups responsible for elementary and secondary school art programs in the United States. This updated version presents, as nearly as possible, a consensus of…

This reading list is designed as a companion piece to Indiana's Academic Standards in English/Language Arts and is organized on four levels: Level 1, Grades K-2; Level 2, Grades 3-5; Level 3, Grades 6-8; and Level 4, Grades 9-12. It contains titles and authors for approximately 800 works. The Level 1 Reading List contains these sections: fiction…

The Pacific Eisenhower Mathematics and Science Regional Consortium was established at Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL) in October, 1992 and completed its second funding cycle in February 2001. The Consortium is a collaboration among PREL, the Curriculum Research and Development Group (CRDG) at the University of Hawaii, and the…

This paper explores contemporary pedagogical images and considers various mechanisms by which educational researchers might investigate their complex meanings. More specifically, it works to: (1) define image; (2) contextualize the construction (re)production, maintenance, manipulation, and consequences of pedagogical images; (3) suggest…