This executive summary reports on the number of students not reading on grade level in all second and third grades throughout Louisiana. The report notes the provisions of the legislation that requires such data be generated, and discusses selection of the Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) as the uniform assessment instrument to be…

Establishing statewide standards that define what a Minnesota public high school graduate should know and be able to do to function effectively as a purposeful thinker, effective communicator, self-directed learner, productive group participant, and responsible citizen, this legislation outlines the graduation standards in Written Composition that…

This paper presents the current PASS (Proficiency-based Admission Standards System) Proficiency Standards in English and answers the question of what students should be able to do upon admission to the Oregon University System. The PASS standards in the paper are aligned with and complement the standards, scoring guides, and test specifications…

Developed by classroom teachers during the development phase of Minnesota's Graduation Standards, this performance package is made up of locally designed assignments that, taken together, show whether a student has learned and can apply the knowledge and skills related to developing an implementing a plan to start a business or an organization. It…

Developed by classroom teachers during the development phase of Minnesota's Graduation Standards, this performance package is made up of locally designed assignments that, taken together, show whether a student has learned and can apply the knowledge and skills related to interpreting and evaluating complex works of music, dance, theater, visual…

Standard 3 of the California History-Social Science Framework requires that students in grade one know and understand U.S. symbols, icons, and traditions, such as the Pledge of Allegiance, the U.S. flag, essential documents, landmarks, and national holidays. The flag is a unifying theme for this unit of study. Students analyze the symbolism of the…

Standards-based reform relies on the premise that every student can reach higher levels of achievement if certain criteria are met. This brief, for policymakers, provides a short history of educational standards, an explanation of how standards-based reform works, and ways to align standards with other key policies to create meaningful reform.…

As states and communities across the United States work to raise expectations for student learning, many are challenged by concerns and questions from increasingly vocal parents and teachers. This report summarizes the best advice for business coalitions and standards advocates on how to address the testing backlash. It also features an analysis…

This document describes the Arkansas Comprehensive Testing, Assessment and Accountability Program (ACTAAP), which includes the Smart Start initiative for grades K through 4 and the Smart Step initiative for grades 5 through 8, as well as assessments for high schools. As it encourages educational improvement, the ACTAAP fulfills the requirements of…

The Nevada Mathematics Standards provide the framework for a comprehensive K-12 mathematics program and guide curriculum, instruction, and assessment as well as other policies and practices that affect student learning. The standards are intended to serve as a foundation for teachers and curriculum specialists as they create curriculum and adopt…

Florida's Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) is preparing all children for success in the mathematics and science, technology-dependent 21st century. Ongoing National Science Foundation funding catalyzed substantial changes in the systemic reform movement of mathematics and science education from 1994-99. The Miami-Dade USI produced…

This Language Arts Framework provides a description of what students should know and do in English, language arts, and reading classrooms, kindergarten through twelfth grade. The framework addresses the interrelatedness of reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing. The intent is to raise expectations for student performance, provide…

Over the past decade, a new kind of entity has emerged in public education: the for-profit provider of education and management services. This is a report on a study of the effectiveness of the programs of three such companies-Edison Schools, Mosaica Education, and Chancellor Beacon Academies-operating in 10 charter schools in the District of…

This question and answer sheet describes the legislative background of current accountability requirements for English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) programs, the issues involved in testing level gain, and critical questions whose answers can lead the field forward. It focuses on the following: what the legislation requires; how states are meeting…

The Delaware Student Testing Program (DSTP) is designed to assess progress toward the Delaware Content Standards. Every year a certain number of items are removed from the test and then selected for public release. This booklet contains multiple-choice and short-answer (constructed response) items released from the 2000 or 2001 administration of…