John Merrow, president of Learning Matters, Inc., has been reporting on K-12 education since 1974, but only recently has he begun to draw attention to higher education. This award-winning broadcaster is shedding light on the underbelly of higher education--and is arguing that something must be done before it's too late. This article presents the…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) NCLB Turns Five: Key Players in Reauthorization Process Celebrate Fifth Anniversary of Landmark Education Law, Begin…

The Rules for the Administration of the Educator Licensing Act of 1991 requires Colorado institutions of higher education approved to provide educator preparation programs submit annual reports to the Colorado Department of Education. The reports are intended to facilitate communication between the institutions and the Department of Education and…

This guide lists six model content standards for geography education in Colorado elementary schools. Standards cited in the guide are: (1) students know how to use and construct maps, globes, and other geographic tools to locate and derive information about people, places, and environments; (2) students know the physical and human characteristics…

This document discusses the results of a study completed by the Colorado Community College System in 2001-2002, which analyzed community college applicants. The data was collected in order to aid in enrollment management, scheduling, advising, and other policy decision-making. The applicants were kept representative of the available population in…

The geography standards for Colorado schools offer suggestions for geography education that prepare students to cope with the complexities of contemporary life. The standards give students a firm grasp of the place and terrain that surrounds them; the patterns of human development around the world; and the interactions of peoples, places, and…

This paper addresses state and local level issues linked with Goals 2000 in Colorado and seeks to shed light on the development of geography content standards in one Colorado school district. The paper begins with a succinct review of Colorado's standards-based educational reform and the creation of the state's model content standards. After a…

The Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP) has been underway since 1997. Since then, fourth grade students have been assessed annually on the Colorado Model Content Standards for Reading and Writing. In 1998, testing began on third grade reading. Over the course of time, other grades and subject areas will be phased in. In the fall of 1999,…

This booklet outlines the model content standards in reading and writing for students in the state of Colorado. The booklet cites the following six standards for public school elementary and secondary students: (1) students read and understand a variety of materials; (2) students write and speak for a variety of purposes and audiences; (3)…

The state of Colorado has set forth five content standards for music education in its public schools: (1) students sing or play on instruments a varied repertoire of music, alone or with others; (2) students will read and notate music; (3) students will create music; (4) students will listen to, analyze, evaluate, and describe music; and (5)…

The "Pathways to Literacy" program was designed by teachers for teachers as a professional development activity to integrate standards with a reading and writing curriculum. It is intended as a how-to guide to help teachers learn to do a better job of implementing standards in their classrooms, or for related purposes such as improving…

Colorado charter schools are public schools operated by a group of parents, teachers, and/or community members as a semiautonomous school of choice within a district. They have increased competition and spurred districts to develop more attractive alternatives. Colorado's Standards Based Education Act requires charter and other schools to adopt…

This activity guide, for Colorado teachers responsible for teaching geography to students in grades K-12, explains how to use the principles of contextual learning to integrate academic content standards with career development and workplace competencies. The introduction discusses the guide's purpose, the role of standards and assessments in the…

The goal of these Colorado state economics content standards is for students, by the time they graduate from high school, to understand economics well enough to make good judgments about personal economic questions and about economic policy in a complex and changing world. Students need an understanding of basic economic concepts to become…

The state of Colorado has set forth five content standards for visual arts education in its public schools: (1) students will recognize and use the visual arts as a form of communication; (2) students will know and apply elements of art, principles of design, and sensory and expressive features of visual arts; (3) students will know and apply…