The only way public schools can keep up with the economic facts of life is by learning how to educate virtually all students to a much higher standard at current costs. Three contemporary models of school accountability are the systems used in Kentucky, Chicago, and Edmonton, Canada. (MLF)

The California framework for science instruction has inspired models across the nation. However, religious and political conservatives, under the guise of increased academic rigor, are challenging the California science framework. These individuals want more rote facts, less scientific inquiry, and less hands-on activities, plus a new set of…

Examines two approaches to teacher education reform: (1) decentralization and (2) a national bureaucratic strategy to adopt uniform standards for teacher accreditation, mandate curricular requisites, and legislate policies governing teacher professional development. The paper explains that teacher education must prepare teachers to work in the…

Examines the ability of third grade students to meet technology standards. Results from this classroom-based investigation strongly suggest that students in this classroom are making good progress toward meeting technology competencies for Grades three through five as specified in the ISTE (2000) NETS for Students. Moreover, students have met the…

This article discusses potential benefits and detriments of high-stakes assessment on students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). It suggests these tests are unlikely to be useful for students with EBD because they differ dramatically from validated assessment procedures for students with disabilities. These students may experience…

At the same time that NCLB has given states a mandate to staff their classrooms with "highly qualified teachers," the federal government is pushing a dangerously narrow definition of the knowledge and skills that today's teachers need. Over the last decade, policy makers and business leaders have come to realize what parents have always…

The stakes are getting higher for teachers to provide evidence that suggests their students are meeting the goals set forth by national and state standards. The stakes are also getting higher for administrators at the state and local levels to provide evidence that their teachers are "highly qualified." Currently lacking in many areas is an…

In the spring of 2002 the Ontario College of Teachers began a research project in order to foster awareness of the "Standards of Practice" for the 187 000 teachers in the province. Case work, in which 18 teachers representative of the College's membership wrote narratives describing their professional dilemmas, was the methodology…

Every month, "Leadership" features articles written in an informal, conversational style that provide practical information for school administrators. This issue of "Leadership" contains the following titles: (1) "A Better Approach to Testing" (Smith, Franklin); (2) "Accelerating Learning: Time to Pick up the…

For more than a century, public education has worked under a single salary schedule that compensates teachers for college credits, education degrees, and years of experience, but not for their effectiveness in the classroom. In fact, research shows that the degrees, courses, and experience that teachers have, beyond the first few years of…

Having in mind the need for an increased attention to the importance of pre-service teacher development concerning technology, this study examined teachers' interest to attain educational technology standards (Interest) in terms of their computer attitude (Attitude) and the professional support they received to attain these standards (Support).…

UK higher education institutions are now expected to be able to demonstrate that they are adhering to the Code of Practice for the Assurance of Academic Quality and Standards in Higher Education in Placement Learning. The responsibility for ensuring that a placement provides an adequate opportunity for its intended learning outcomes rests with the…

Schools across the nation are implementing reform models intended to enable all children to meet state-established academic standards. One of the nation's comprehensive school reform models is Success for All (SFA). This study assessed the impact of the program on elementary school students in standardized reading scores as well as attendance and…

Uses the demand-supply continuum to look at emerging reforms in the Japanese educational system. Data from fieldwork in major urban districts and their prefectures in Nagoya, Osaka, and Tokyo highlight demand-driven reform (higher education restructuring), integrated governance (mediating demand and supply at the K-12 levels), and ongoing…

Recent concerns about "fairness" in university entrance have highlighted the need to review existing practices in admissions processes. The agendas for equity and social inclusion, however, must also apply to the processes and outcomes of higher education, where considerations of "standards" are additionally crucial. As…