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…

Discusses how three states are implementing the Goals 2000: Educate America Act, focusing on Massachusetts' Common Core of Learning, Delaware's First Schools in the First State pilot curriculum project, and Oregon's Initial Mastery and Advanced Mastery certificates. Notes that one of the aims of Goals 2000 is to make states true laboratories of…

This document discusses educational reform and the implications of educational standards on students with disabilities. Topics addressed include: (1) common educational reforms; (2) new laws promoting education reform; (3) how today's reforms fit with special education; (4) the different types of standards, including content standards and…

Discusses the U.S. Department of Education's role as "America's best teacher," with the responsibility to provide national leadership and expertise on educational issues. Suggests that the department must support national education initiatives, such as the Goals 2000: Educate America Act, at the state and local level to help teachers,…

Noting that students whose parents and other significant adults are actively involved in their learning are more likely to be successful in school, this paper examines eight parent and community involvement models and discusses selected strategies for initiating plans for school restructuring related to parent involvement. Models of parent…

This document discusses educational assessment and accountability in current educational reform efforts and the implications for students with disabilities. A preface addresses common educational reforms, new laws promoting education reform, and how today's reforms fit with special education. The paper then describes three types of assessment:…

This publication describes an effort of the U.S. Department of Education to promote comprehensive educational reform by consolidating various elements and programs. The "cross-cutting" approach described considers the links among vocational-technical education, elementary and secondary education, postsecondary education, and workforce…

Discusses the impact national goals, federal legislation, and local reform practices will have on future reform efforts for students with learning disabilities. Twenty-first century predictions are made and indicate the need for effective collaboration processes, with participants making an effort to understand, accept, and/or value different…

This report summarizes the first of four workshops organized to take advantage of the experience and insights of those already implementing new technologies in the schools. The workshop examined professional development needs and consisted of a one and one-half day conversation with educators and experts working to apply communications technology…

During the past 4 years, the education reform movement in the United States has made significant progress. At the federal level, the Bush Administration proposed "America 2000," its specific recommendations for systemic reform; and the Clinton Administration introduced "Goals 2000: Educate America Act." This report concentrates…

This paper presents recommendations designed to ensure that limited-English-proficient (LEP) children are included in proposals embodied in "Goals 2000." These are as follows: persons knowledgeable about the education of LEP students should be included in national, state and local panels; all educational reform activities should address…

Consistent with education reform efforts, the U.S. Department of Education, in November 1993, invited a group of 119 outstanding public and private school teachers to the Goals 2000 Teacher Forum in Washington, D.C. to hear their thoughts and explore ways in which the federal government might work in partnership with teachers to achieve the…

In this book, the Committee on Goals 2000 and the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities addresses standards-based reform and the education of students with disabilities, and presents recommendations to states and communities that seek to make these reforms consistent with current policies and practice in special education. The first chapter…