Explores whether benefits of attending an elite college have kept pace with rising costs. Examines whether undergraduate college quality affects probability of attending graduate school, using data on three student cohorts from two national longitudinal studies. Generally, attending an elite private college significantly increases the probability…

Compares standards-based reforms with rural school improvement efforts that emphasize locally responsive, place-based curricula. Concludes that while the two movements differ in philosophical orientation, they share the goals of increasing equity in schools, making curricula and pedagogy intellectually rigorous, and creating content and…

High-stakes tests seriously threaten excellence and national standards. Unchecked, they will stifle many excellent schools and drive gifted teachers from classrooms. Bad tests, used to make high-stakes decisions, will lead to unnecessarily low standards, undesirable educational practices, shortchanged students, and underprepared citizens.…

This article discusses social hierarchy and uses graduation exit exams to show how social class relations are manifest in school practice. After deconstructing the negative, ideas are put forward for reform and educators are urged to join in a movement to transform hierarchical and excluding relations in school and society. (Contains references.)…

Surveyed editors of academic journals about publication issues related to Britain's Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), a process of grading and funding universities based on published research output. Editors were asked about research quality and output, publication practices, academics' willingness to referee manuscripts, and proliferation of…

Traces the development of global studies in Arkansas from conception to institutionalization. Focuses on the dilemmas of textbook adoption and teacher licensure, teacher preparation, and support from the Arkansas International Committee, University of Arkansas at Monticello, and Southern Arkansas University. Addresses the role of Bill and Hillary…

This article presents the mission and conceptual framework of the REACH Institute, which is engaged in a five-year program of research on teaching for understanding with students with disabilities. It describes several common features of the institute research stands in social studies, language arts, science, and mathematics, and emerging themes.…

Provides an overview of developments in higher education internationalization, from traditional forms such as student/staff mobility to exporting via branch campuses, transnational university networks, and virtual delivery. Discusses quality challenges, particularly recognition of foreign degrees and credits. Suggests the solution is integration…

Reviews the support for using both literature and response activities to teach history. Includes an annotated bibliography, with accompanying response activities, of trade books chosen to support the learning outcomes for Ohio's American Heritage Strand of the citizenship proficiency test. (CMK)

American education has gradually improved since the 1970s. The United States leads the world in the number of content requirements and math, science, and language objectives. When measured on the basis of Bloom's Taxonomy and the Application Model, U.S. students, compared to their European and Asian counterparts, are high on content knowledge but…

Presents the core concept of the History/Social Science Framework; the six guiding principles; reasoning, reflection, research, and content in history and social science; and the core knowledge guidelines for the U.S. and world history that are grouped under commonly-recognized eras. (CMK)

Focuses on assessing student learning in relation to the National Standards for Music Education, covering topics such as content-related evidence of validity (the extent to which an assessment covers the content of instruction), assessment frameworks, weighing content areas, and frequency of assessment. Provides recommendations. (CMK)

"Turning Points 2000" places more emphasis than the original volume on teaching and learning and the principal's role in focusing reform efforts on improving curriculum, assessment, and instruction. Teachers and administrators must strive to create a developmentally appropriate and intellectually challenging instructional program. (MLH)

Assesses the value of Key Stage 2 Mathematics national test scores as indicators of student achievement and whether standards are rising. Investigates mathematical attainment levels of Year 6 children on Mathematics 11 and on the national mathematics test. Discusses the results. (CMK)

"All children can learn" has become a simplistic mantra leading to practices that can be harmful to students and unfair to schools. Unintended consequences include establishing accountability based on state-developed tests, downplaying poor children's need for early intervention, and using punishment to motivate school improvement. (MLH)