This introductory article describes key factors in teacher preparation and continuing professional development and efforts promulgated by the Council for Exceptional Children on special educator standards and assessments. The need to align standards for state licensing, program accreditation, and national certification is emphasized. The following…

This article describes the teacher education program in special education at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The program has developed and integrated program standards and accountability into the teacher education curriculum. The process, impact, and challenges of working toward becoming a standards-based teacher education program are…

Examines people's typical queries about a child's performance, school success or failure, best learning practices, and ways to determine educational effectiveness. To provide useful information about student achievement, an accountability system must embody clear standards that have been communicated to students, parents, teachers and other…

Describes a lesson in which students explore the goals of the "Mountain Agenda" that is a group of non-governmental mountain organizations that met in Lima (Peru) in 1995. States that students are asked to consider how U.S. foreign aid benefits the country domestically while supporting international policy agendas. (Contains three…

Describes a teacher's efforts to ascertain the level of challenge perceived by his eighth-grade students. Enumerates five starting point questions to ascertain student opinion: (1) adequacy of academic challenge; (2) appropriateness of homework quantity; (3) homework quality; (4) self rating of individual quality of effort; and (5) academic hopes…

Although prevailing research indicates that holding back students carries negative effects, retention is becoming ever more popular. Administrators seeking secure funding for retention alternatives face considerable resistance, while the decision to add a full year of expenditures for a retained student is made without considering budgetary…

Examines educational reforms relating to school choice introduced in England and Wales by Conservative governments. Evaluates whether choice has increased, and for whom, and whether desired achievement standards have been met. The range of schools has increased and student performance has improved. However, curricular diversity is constrained by…

Describes the use of technology at the Minnesota New Country School, a project-based, non-profit public charter secondary school. Discusses the project-based curriculum, including student self-paced projects that must relate to Minnesota's performance standards; the cooperative of teachers who provide services to the school; and personalized…

Examines arts education policies in which serious flaws have been revealed. Focuses on issues such as the content standards for the arts, the importance of the National Assessment of Educational Progress, gateway policies for K-12 students, and arts study and college admissions. (CMK)

The effective-schools movement as currently promoted by profit-oriented consultants has been contaminated by five fallacies: all children have equal learning opportunities; principals (not teachers) are instructional leaders; standards should be set by exceptions; academic standards should be uniform; and teachers should work smarter, not harder.…

Between 1970 and 1988, the African-American/white achievement gap was halved; progress halted during the 1990s. Latino students made substantial progress until 1992. Increasing minority and low-income students' achievement levels requires focusing on what really matters: high standards, a challenging curriculum, and good teachers. (MLH)

Teacher educators and policy makers must provide teachers with the tools, processes, and supports to help students across the socioeconomic spectrum achieve standards according to their multiple intelligences while avoiding undermining influences of reductionism, superficiality, inequity, and pseudo-change. Seven elements for successful reform…

Focuses on the importance of building four capacities in students: disciplinary knowledge, thinking skills, commitment to democratic values, and citizen participation. Examines the use of learning communities to develop these capacities. Discusses the application of brain based learning research to the classroom, such as immersion within the…

Although those charged with developing learning standards for Maine students have tried to be inclusive, there are some likely challenges ahead. Planners need to include the views of less educated, less successful, or very conservative persons; reach consensus on defining the basics; resolve equity versus excellence issues; and incorporate…

A study investigated the characteristics that 125 high school counselors considered most important in judging a college's academic reputation and whether those counselors, in assessing selected institutions, accurately applied the criteria they identified as most important in advising students about prospective colleges. Degree of counselor…