The aim of this essay is to advance understandings of current efforts to democratize disciplined approaches to educational innovation and improvement in the US and other countries, with a specific focus on the macro-level policy contexts of improvement research in education. In the US, earlier analyses examined these policy contexts from a…

The 2013 edition of the "Digest of Education Statistics" is the 49th in a series of publications initiated in 1962. The Digest has been issued annually except for combined editions for the years 1977-78, 1983-84, and 1985-86. Its primary purpose is to provide a compilation of statistical information covering the broad field of American…

Raising academic standards and eliminating achievement gaps between advantaged and disadvantaged students are America's prime national educational goals. Current federal and state policies, however, largely ignore the fact that the childhood poverty rate in the United States is 21%, the highest in the industrialized world, and that poverty…

A Nation at Risk, Goals 2000, and No Child Left Behind are examples of external factors that compel educational leaders at local schools and districts to explore reform initiatives in order to meet federally required results. Because of political mandates to improve student learning and instruction, educational leaders are searching for…

Contends that American education is improving; the nation is no longer at risk but has a hopeful future. Notes that student performance, minority participation in advanced placement, and graduation rates are improving. States are demonstrating a commitment to progress in education by raising standards. The Goals 2000: Educate America Act has…

This action guide reflects the discussions and recommendations of the Goals 2000 Education Action Planning Process. The booklet includes a summary checklist of critical actions that must be taken by those working at the national, state, and local levels to advance the arts in the Goals 2000 education improvement process. The sections of the…

This brief pamphlet provides an overview of the need for national educational objectives and describes how Goals 2000 will combat problems in education through locally based school-reform and improvement efforts. Goals 2000 is intended to help develop and implement higher academic standards; give schools and communities the tools and flexibility…

Speculates about how opportunity-to-learn (OTL) standards might be defined and used at federal and state levels and, in the process, to better understand why OTL standards have become so controversial. The author discusses OTL within the context of The Goals 2000: Educate America Act and how the standards might be used and what they should…

Describes the Effective Schools correlates monitoring and evaluation initiative implemented in 1989-94 (Phase One) in all Bureau of Indian Affairs schools as a means for generating a process of comprehensive school improvement planning. Discusses Phase One findings--areas of strength and weakness--and projections for the next step under Goals 2000…

Discusses the relationship of the National Catholic Educational Association's Lighting New Fires program to the federal government's Goals 2000, indicating that both outline long-range planning goals for ensuring educational quality. Suggests that, although there are some serious differences between the programs, there are opportunities for…

This report provides an overview and analysis of the Clinton Administration's school reform proposal, Goals 2000: Educate America Act, submitted to the 103d Congress on April 22, 1993. The proposal, which seeks to create a national structure for supporting school reform, addresses three primary topics: (1) education goals, standards, and…

Discusses the possible benefits of the Goals 2000 program for Catholic school teachers and students. Indicates that, although Catholic schools are ineligible for Goals 2000 funding, they may benefit from the information availability, coalition building, and professional development opportunities. Suggests that Goals 2000 offers Catholic educators…

The Goals 2000: Educate America Act offers educators the opportunity to develop a plan for moving all students toward higher levels of learning and to create a broad partnership for activating that plan. This publication describes how teachers can participate in developing a school plan that is consistent with the Goals 2000 legislation. Teachers'…

Goals 2000 defines the federal role as one of support and facilitation to improve all schools for all children while maintaining state and local control. The article discusses Goals 2000, looking at the beginning, the legislation, the national agenda, the state and local agenda, its passage into law, budgetary constraints, and the future. (SM)

Offers 10 academic criteria considered essential for states to adopt when establishing their educational standards. As an aid to standard setters, the article includes a list of titles from the "Defining World-Class Standards" series written by the American Federation of Teachers. Criteria categories are math, science, history and social…