Despite similar cultural roots and standards of living, the secondary education systems of France, the Netherlands, England, Scotland, and the United States produce remarkably different levels of achievement in mathematics and science. An examination of achievement at a given age shows that the French and Dutch have learned the most, Americans the…

State-level policymakers, local-level administrators, and teachers alike are interested in how standards actually apply to classroom learning. This paper presents answers to questions that policymakers and educators should consider before implementing standards-based education at the local level. The following questions help sort through the…

These proceedings addressed the question of the future of the classified honors degree in the United Kingdom with emphasis on improvements and alternatives. The meeting addressed four main issues: (1) the current presentation of final results in terms of only four categories (first, upper and lower second, and third class honors); (2) concerns…

Five papers address issues in the current debate in the United Kingdom over standards in higher education, especially the "Graduate Standards" program of the Higher Education Quality Council. The first paper, an introduction by John Brennan, identifies key issues in the standards debate such as the role of mass education, the various…

These 4 issues of the English Leadership Quarterly comprise volume 16, published during 1994. Articles in number 1 deal with practical advice, and include: "The Law of Privacy and the Writing Teacher" (Ben T. Allen); Beware of Teachers Who Laminate Their Lesson Plans and Other Useful Suggestions about Teaching" (Robert Perrin);…

The Colorado Education Goals Panel, appointed by Governor Roy Romer in 1995 to meet the challenge of raising student achievement levels, is a 40-member planning group co-chaired by the Governor and Commissioner Bill Randall. The group includes parents, educators, business and civic leaders, policymakers, and administrators from higher education.…

This brief discusses some of the results and conclusions from the Professional Development Project of the National Institute for Science Education (NISE). The project was intended to explore whether the science, mathematics, and professional development communities share a common understanding of what professional learning experiences look like…

This report analyzes how curriculum, especially current standards-based reform efforts relating to curriculum, are impacting students with disabilities in inclusive settings. Curriculum is defined as both the content and methods a teacher uses to plan and conduct a class. The issue brief contrasts two different high school social studies programs…

Based on interviews with state administrators and local educators in four states that are actively implementing skills standards in secondary and postsecondary education, this report describes strategies for using industry skill standards to improve education. Following introductory materials, strategies are reviewed for overcoming obstacles to…

This book provides reference citations for California educators planning or developing curricula in the arts. Each section includes an annotated bibliography related to the discipline. An accompanying grid identifies for each title: (1) the focus of the literature; (2) the suggested grade level; (3) the related discipline, if applicable; and (4)…

This study examined participation in high school and intercollegiate varsity athletics by following a cohort of 8th-graders through high school and the first 2 years of college. Data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 were used to track all 1988 8th-graders through 2 years after scheduled high school graduation, all 1988…

Within the educational reform debate, there is general agreement that the development of high academic standards is an important first step toward improving academic outcomes. This report highlights the standards initiatives being implemented in Colorado, Delaware, Minnesota, and South Carolina. All four states have made substantial progress in…

"Achieve" is an independent, nongovernmental organization that was created out of the March 1996 National Education Summit. The summit was convened by the National Governors' Association and the International Business Machines (IBM) Corporation. Achieve's goal is to sustain the momentum generated at the national summit and to support…

Discussion of whether and to what extent initial vocational training and adult education in European Community (EC) member countries can assume a modular form hinges on the issue of the module as an organizational principle. In such a context, modules are viewed not as closed teaching and learning units but rather as integral parts of a more…

This research report compares parents' satisfaction about the quality of their eighth grade childrens' schooling with the childrens' mathematics achievement. The report uses data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS88). Despite low student achievement in mathematics as indicated by a study conducted in 1990, data from the…