To have an impact on rural schools and communities, education researchers and reformers must stop approaching rural issues from an urban perspective, adopt a perspective that values rurality, and address issues specific to the rural context. Rural schools have contributed to the depletion of rural communities by focusing on individual mobility and…

The National Science Board (NSB), charged with advising the President and Congress on national science policy, urges a nationwide consensus on a core of knowledge and competency in mathematics and science. The Board believes it is both possible and imperative to develop national strategies that serve the national interest while respecting local…

This document compiles 11 individual summaries of Catholic school curriculum standards in Alberta, Canada, for Kindergarten through grade 9 and senior high school. Intended for parents as a companion to the Alberta Curriculum Guides, the summaries use an "at a glance" schematic to list the curricular goals for each subject area. In…

This booklet outlines what students must know and be able to do to succeed in entry-level university courses. The standards presented in the booklet were designed to create a new way to view college preparation. The standards--known as the knowledge and skills for university success (KSUS) standards--were developed from a 2-year study in which…

This study examined the effect of a teacher enhancement project combining training on the National Science Education Standards, problem solving and equity education on middle school science teachers' attitudes and practices and, in turn, the attitudes of their students. Participating teachers reported changes in their instructional methods that…

This publication from the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) is designed to inform parents about the department's Grade Five curriculum standards in four major areas: language arts/reading, mathematics, science, and social studies. The integrated language arts/reading standards require students to recognize and respond to different…

This theme issue of Basic Education contains five articles on rural schools. "Small Schools: A Political Irony" (Marty Strange) notes the current enthusiasm among education reformers for small schools and the evidence of their effectiveness. Given this context, the question is posed as to why rural communities where small schools are…

This report discusses current secondary school restructuring efforts of nine school districts that are implementing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and New York State initiatives to provide students with disabilities access to general education curriculum and settings. It demonstrates how Skrtic's (1995) mutually reinforcing…

In this lesson, students work in teams, role-playing a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life in rural Africa. Teams focus on four goals: (1) grow more food; (2) develop water resources; (3) improve health services; and (4) protect the environment. Each student team is assigned to one of five regions in Africa. Teams…

In 1999, the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) was administered to students in grades 4, 5, 8, and 10 to assess student achievement of the Sunshine State Standards in reading and mathematics as mandated by the Florida legislature. This report informs administrators, legislators, and the general public about the reading and mathematics…

This document identifies the three components that frame overall career and life role education that helps students prepare to integrate the demands of six life roles (individual, learner, producer, consumer, family member, citizen) into family, community, and work settings. The three components that help prepare students to meet the grade 12…

The materials included in this manual are organized according to the Indiana's Kindergarten Academic Standards for English/Language Arts. In each section teachers will find: (1) Indiana's Kindergarten Academic Standards for English/Language Arts Assessments: Black Line Masters of diagnostic/practice pages for skill areas, checklists, and rubrics;…

The Estonian Minister of Education discusses recent higher education trends and developments in Central and Eastern European countries, including the growth of institutional autonomy, expansion of educational opportunity, financial issues and privatization, balancing of academic and vocational education needs, part-time and continuing education,…

Provides middle-level teachers with suggestions for evaluating their classroom environment to guarantee a positive classroom climate that will enable students to develop a positive self-concept and achieve academically. Presents six evaluative factors that address challenge, freedom, respect, warmth, control, and success issues. (SD)

Reviews the evidence on how the concept of opportunities to learn can be applied to the demand for more challenging content for all students. Concludes that students learn more if they are offered more demanding curricula. However, such curricula creates the probability of unacceptable rates of failure. (MJP)