Based on the philosophy that a high school graduate is a young person who has become a fluent communicator and reflective thinker whose knowledge and skills meet the high standards necessary to interact in a rapidly changing world, this language arts curriculum is designed to foster the development of literacy abilities by providing experiences in…

The New York State School Report Card is an important part of the effort to raise learning standards for all students. It is designed to provide information to the public on student performance and other measures of school and district performance. The 2000 report card has been changed to focus on measures of student progress on the new standards.…

This paper reports on some early findings from an assessment of the impact of mathematics and science reforms in Chicago, Illinois, Memphis, Tennessee, Miami, Florida, and El Paso, Texas. These reforms have been part of the National Science Foundation's Urban Systemic Reform program. Standards-based curriculum and instructional approaches with a…

The stakes for California's schools and students have never been higher. More than 1,600 California schools are now on a statewide "watch list" for failing to meet new federal standards, a number that is expected to triple in less than 5 years. Many of these schools face federal sanctions or even takeover by the state. This year's high school…

This report details an exploratory study that employs empirical methods to operationalize academic language (AL) for language test development purposes. First, an evidence-based approach to operationalizing AL is discussed, followed by a proposed methodology for systematically collecting and synthesizing AL research findings from two data…

This paper explores what lessons we can learn from the experiences of states that instituted NCLB-like accountability systems prior to 2001 (here called first-generation accountability systems). We looked at the experiences of three smaller states (Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina), four larger ones (California, Florida, New York, Texas), and…

What is the news on Florida's student performance since the passage of the A+ legislation? This brief presents a review of long-term data on five state and national indicators. It verifies outcomes and trends and examines the main premise of the A+ mandate that, given appropriate schooling, students will have equitable outcomes and access to…

In June 2003 the Maine Department of Education published the "Local Assessment System (LAS) Guide: Principles and Criteria for the Adoption of Local Assessment Systems." This LAS Guide provides school systems with the criteria and rules necessary to comply with Chapter 127 while also providing flexibility for local decisions. The intent…

This issue brief presents the views of 13 individuals, all in special education leadership positions in selected urban school districts in the United States, concerning the opportunities and challenges their districts face in implementing key NCLBA requirements for students with disabilities. Results from a survey and two focus groups reveal that…

This report focuses on the performance of students with disabilities and limited English proficiency on the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs). The MCAs are used for accountability purposes at the district level for grades 3 and 5 in Reading and Mathematics. Newly developed MCAs in grades 10 (reading) and 11 (mathematics) that were…

This report is one in a series of reference documents designed especially to assist educators who are directly involved in the revision and improvement of content standards. It presumes a basic understanding of the purposes for standards and the process of standards review and evaluation. This document is intended to be a desktop reference volume…

This paper resulted from the work of the Study Group on Transitions in Assessments from IASA ("Improving America's Schools Act of 1994") to NCLB ("No Child Left Behind Act of 2001") comprised of state educational specialists and consultants of the Comprehensive Assessment Systems for ESEA ("Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965") Title I…

High school graduation requirements in states throughout the U.S. were reviewed to better understand how well they align with what students need to be successful in college or the workplace. It was found that no state requires its graduates to take the courses that reflect the real-world demands of work and postsecondary education. …

There is a lot written about eligibility requirements, but almost all of it is about NCAA first year eligibility requirements and their impact on high schools. Much less is written about high school eligibility requirements and their impact on student performance. Coaches, parents, and educators offer many reasons for there to be lax or no…

The National Reading Panel (NRP) issued a report in 2000 that responded to a congressional mandate to help parents, teachers, and policymakers identify key skills and instructional methods central to reading achievement. The panel identified five areas that they found to be critical to effective reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics,…