Argues that the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education's (NCATE) intent to accredit only high quality programs is overly grandiose, suggesting that NCATE should instead focus on identifying weak programs. The article argues in support of this minimalist mission for NCATE and offers suggestions for moving NCATE toward a more…

Current reform efforts are politically inspired, fragmented, unsystematic, atheoretical, and costly. They ignore developmental limitations to student achievement. This article uses Piaget's cognitive notion of development and behaviorist principals of instructional design to support the existence of qualitative and quantitative limits to student…

An investigation revealed that New York City educators were helping students cheat on standardized tests. Some state education officials are easing tough standards in response to student failure and public complaints. An Ohio court rejected vouchers for Cleveland's religious schools. A study showed smaller schools are better for poor and…

Explains how a powerful group of parents and mathematicians manipulated information and capitalized on the public's perception of California's "failing schools" to acquire political clout. In California, "teaching for understanding" is now a banished concept, and mastery of procedural skills ("parrot math") has scored…

Provides an example of how literary theory and standards-based classroom practice can promote active reading experiences with the text as well as interactions with other members of the class. (Author/VWL)

Discusses the need to address the ambiguities regarding literature in the standards-based foreign language curriculum. Suggests that by allowing students to explore personal responses to language and literature, it will easier to forge crucial connections across the undergraduate curriculum and to reassert the usefulness of a coherent program in…

Describes the Regional Partnership of Schools and Colleges at Purchase College, Sate University of New York (SUNY) that helps teachers enhance classroom instruction through conferences, workshops, and other programs that will help students achieve higher academic standards. Offers suggestions for other schools to develop similar effective…

Examines the theoretical and practical issues of exit-control testing, and gives some practical suggestions about possible means of implementing such controls. Delineates the complexity of issues involved in implementing exit standard controls and proposes guidelines for implementation. (Author/VWL)

Draws on comparisons between the Australian and U.S. Title I programs in schools, and in particular examines the implications for English-as-a-Second-Language learners of both programs.(Adjunct ERIC Clearinghouse on ESL Literacy Education) (Author/VWL)

Drawing on research conducted in Victorian schools in Australia, this article highlights the kinds of achievements that can be made by English-as-a-Second-Language learners that will not be recognized by the benchmarking of ESL students. Discusses the impact that policy decisions can have on individual students. (Adjunct ERIC Clearinghouse on ESL…

Presents findings from case studies of two states (Vermont and Indiana) that have been engaged in standards-based reforms of teacher education. Reported results emphasize the problematic influence that adopted standards may have on teacher educators' conceptions of teaching as well as on their openness to inquiry and dialogue about alternative…

Explains how the United Kingdom's Commission for Racial Equality developed the document, "Learning for All," which provides standards for racial equity in education for England and Wales. Discusses the role of the local education authority in helping schools make effective use of the document to eliminate racial discrimination and…

Explains how one diverse local education authority (LEA) in the United Kingdom has made use of the Commission for Racial Equality's document, "Learning for All." Discusses the County Council's response to issues of diversity and equity and looks at the development of policy and practice in the LEA. (SM)

Despite an increasingly diverse student population with many English language learners, Reynolds School District (Oregon) has successfully implemented rigorous academic standards. At Glenfair Elementary School, a schoolwide improvement model helps teachers and administrators use educational research to guide decision making about the best ways to…

Standard two of the National Association for Sport and Physical Education requires students to use cognitive information to understand and enhance motor skill acquisition and performance. This article provides examples of incorporating the standard into K-12 instruction using units based on balance, fitness, and bicycling. Examples illustrate a…