This lesson focuses on the role of the Electoral College in the election of the President and Vice-President as specified in the U.S. Constitution in Article II, Section 1, Clauses 2 and 4, and the Twelfth Amendment. The lesson correlates to the National History Standards and the National Standards for Civics and Government. The tally of the 1824…

Formal accreditation reviews represent a significant outlay in terms of dollars and man hours for all institutions of higher education. This outlay can often be especially difficult for community colleges. In an effort to provide assistance for colleges entering the accreditation review process, a study was done of criteria that are most often…

Arkansas' foreign language learning standards are defined in the Arkansas Curriculum Framework. This framework describes what students must know and be able to do in grades 4, 8, and 12. It is intended to encourage a K-12 foreign language program, though schools are not required to go beyond the minimum mandate of the "Standards for…

This digest in Spanish describes the key features of current accountability systems and explores their implications for administrators. It discusses various aspects of accountability systems, such as rigorous content standards and the alignment of professional development with standards and test results, and how these elements work together to…

This report provides a comprehensive account of the performance of students with disabilities on state assessment measures. Following an overview of the issues, it explains the laws that govern the reporting of assessment results (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997 (IDEA) and Title I of the Elementary and Secondary…

This paper presents some ideas to preschool educators and policy makers about how to make validated educational models central in standards for preschool education and care programs that are available to all 3- and 4-year-olds. Defining an educational model as a coherent body of program practices, curriculum content, program and child, and teacher…

This book provides classroom teachers at every grade level and subject the tools and background to effectively work with standards as a guide in their planning. It explains the process by which educators can rearticulate state standards and align the locally rearticulated standards to their curriculum and student performance. Six chapters include:…

In fall 2003 New Jersey Governor James E. McGreevey and Commissioner of Education William L. Librera asked Achieve to review the new academic standards the state had developed in social studies to learn how New Jersey's new standards compared with those of other states. This summary report outlines the main findings from Achieve's review of the…

Oregon's Education Act for the 21st Century has profound implications for the educational system in Oregon. It involves the implementation of statewide standards, represents a major change from a time-based to a standards-based educational system, and requires schools to ensure that all students achieve the performance standards for each…

This paper examines the issue of national curriculum standards within the context of social studies education. The paper explores both the recent "conservative-liberal" consensus in favor of (at least) the idea(l) of national curriculum standards and the nascent opposition movements to national curriculum standards growing within both…

Before the educational reforms of the early 1990s, Kentucky was in the bottom 10% of the states on most indicators of educational quality. Educators and policymakers in Kentucky approached educational reform in a thoughtful and systematic way and developed a state law mandating an education system that now serves as a national model. The education…

Each student is capable of achieving excellence, but it requires a nurturing, vigorous classroom environment. To help current and future high school English teachers create and maintain this kind of environment, this book offers concrete ways to reconceive what it means to foster excellent performance in the classroom and vivid examples of student…

This self-study handbook focuses on: (1) "Self-Study and Peer Review" (including the role of "Characteristics of Excellence in Higher Education," the Middle States Commission on Higher Education's statement of standards for accreditation); (2) "Models and Approaches to Self-Study" (the comprehensive model, the comprehensive with special emphasis…

This report discusses findings from surveys assessing the implementation and effectiveness of the Year 2000 Summer Program. Summer School 2000 is an integral part of the New York City Board of Education's updated promotion policy. Surveys in this report targeted children identified as English Language Learners (ELLs) and children from immigrant…

The papers in this volume describe how states have incorporated academic standards into their education goals. As part of the National Education Goals Panel, this collection of essays describes how nine states have recently implemented these standards, discusses how textbooks and teaching could help students reach the standards, and provides…