Now that a high-profile and potentially influential panel has released its detailed proposal for revising the No Child Left Behind Act, the Bush administration and education groups are waiting to hear from the institution that matters most, Congress. The Aspen Institute's Commission on No Child Left Behind unveiled 75 recommendations for changes…

This report offers advice on the issues to be considered and the steps to be taken when implementing a high school graduation test. The research was conducted, specifically, to address problems with Mississippi's high school exit test. An external panel, developed by Southeastern Regional Vision for Education (SERVE), reviewed data obtained…

Across the nation, governors are leading reform efforts to transform their public education systems to meet world-class standards and the National Education Goals. In the midst of controversy about school restructuring, governors are faced with the challenge of defining a middle ground. The National Governors' Association (NGA) identified some of…

Reaffirming that all students, regardless of home language or socioeconomic background, can and must have an equal opportunity to excel in reading, this booklet presents 10 recommendations that form the basis of a comprehensive and balanced reading program to help children in California learn to read. Recommendations in the booklet address: (1)…

The speech communication discipline seems to be stuck in status quo. The current climate of the discipline K-12 is one that is not mobilized for the future. However, a paradigm shift within the Speech Communication Association may be evolving in the creation of a model for the process for development of assessment strategies and instruments.…

Since the early 1980s, policymakers, practitioners, and researchers in member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) have shown unprecedented interest in the setting and evaluating of educational standards and in improving assessment procedures. This book is the outcome of a study undertaken by the OECD in…

States across the United States are setting tough new standards, defining what students should know and be able to do. Unlike more traditional assessments, standards-led assessments are more closely linked to curriculum, incorporate preestablished performance goals, and require students to demonstrate a broad range of problem-solving skills. This…

This report proposes a coherent national framework for Great Britain that covers all the main qualifications and achievements of young people at every level of ability. It recognizes achievement outside the main formal qualifications as part of a restructured National Record of Achievement. The report proposes a national framework based on the…

This book describes standards for the English language arts and defines what K-12 students should know about language and be able to do with language. The book presents the current consensus among literacy teachers and researchers about what students should learn in the English language arts--reading, writing, listening, speaking, viewing, and…

This digest examines the tenets of outcome-based education (OBE), outlines some of its primary criticisms and challenges, and describes successful OBE models implemented in various school districts. Outcome-based education (OBE) is one model for restructuring currently being examined nationwide. In contrast to traditional educational practices…

In response to the need for intentional, organized education in speaking, listening, and media literacy, the National Communication Association provides the Standards and Competency Statements in this document. The Standards and Competency Statements are not designed to be used as a curriculum; rather, they are designed to enhance and support…

In 1994, the Minister for Education in Northern Ireland announced a major school improvement initiative for Belfast, Raising School Standards (RSS). Aspects pertaining to the management of this school improvement initiative, including the launch and selection of 14 project schools, are examined here. The paper analyzes the process of action…

The Rules for the Administration of the Educator Licensing Act of 1991 requires Colorado institutions of higher education approved to provide educator preparation programs submit annual reports to the Colorado Department of Education. The reports are intended to facilitate communication between the institutions and the Department of Education and…

This book helps with the implementation of academic standards and reviews the reflections and experiences of educational leaders who have been pioneers in the standards movement. The text features a brief overview of some of the questions that surround the topic of standards for content and performance. These questions include: why do we need such…

Recent battles over proposed national testing programs do not tell the important political story about high-stakes tests. An overview of the politics of school-accountability systems is offered in this World Wide Web journal article. Politically popular, school-accountability systems in many states already revolve around statistical results of…