One area in which educators can get a good return on their time investment is helping collaborative teams focus on and become proficient in developing local classroom assessments for all students in the same grade or course. Six steps to working collaboratively are described (e.g., analyze state and local curriculum guidelines, establish…

Expanded learning opportunities (ELOs), which include afterschool, summer learning, and extended day and extended year programs, can help states reduce dropout rates and increase graduation rates. Effective elementary, middle, and high school ELOs support academic rigor, boost student engagement, and provide students with supportive relationships.…

This statement outlines the academic policies of the City Colleges of Chicago. Part I outlines the Institution's academic standards, covering: (1) student class attendance; (2) the grading system; (3) mid-term grades; (4) the use of non-grade designations; i.e., administrative initiated withdrawal, auditor, no-show withdrawal, incomplete, and…

Examines the accreditation process by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. Discusses criteria used to gauge the quality of a program; specific rules concerning internships; general rules concerning number of faculty and contact with alumni; criteria dealing with curriculum; and, briefly, the status of…

This book is a guide to staying focused on teaching and learning in the context of standards-based reforms. The aim is to make sense of the complex issues involved, explain the various perspectives, separate the useful from the harmful, and offer suggestions on how to proceed. The chapters are: (1) "What Gets in the Way of Important Learning:…

This guidebook, designed to assist colleges and universities to meet National Council for the Social Studies/National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education program standards, is one of three documents that deal with national standards for social studies teachers. The guidebook is intended to help colleges and universities assess the…

This book offers a comprehensive program of holistic accountability for educators, school board members, school leaders, and parents. Holistic accountability systems yield information about curriculum, assessment, and instruction that can lead to better practices, better decision making, and higher student achievement. The chapters are: (1) "What…

This document details regulations that govern the administration of kindergarten programs in Mississippi public school districts. The guidelines are prefaced by a list of members of the K-3 Reading Work Group, who reviewed the regulations; a list of six learning principles; and the state's kindergarten philosophy with nine accompanying goals. The…

This report summarizes the accomplishments of local education grants that have balanced the need for high standards, accountability, parent involvement, and flexibility. The document examines results from two funding opportunities supported by the Goals 2000 Educate America Act: the Consortia Addressing Statewide Systemic Issues (CASSI) and Local…

This guide provides the tools school leaders and educators need to make the vision of sensible mathematics a reality for all students. Closely aligned with the new National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Principles and Standards, it was written to help communicate why change must occur, what that change looks like, and what must be done…

Teachers can use arts standards as a tool to determine what is important to teach and learn. Recent federal legislation places the arts on the same level as other academic subjects. Professional organizations are beginning to develop standards for art teacher preparation. The paper examines 12 standards for art teacher education developed at the…

Attempts to bring some clarity to an understanding of the common attitudes that this culture holds about language and grammar standards. Notes that understanding language attitudes can help language arts teachers know where they themselves stand and how they can address negative or harmful attitudes in the educational setting. (SG)

Because positive changes in a school's capacity to educate all its students are not automatic, the California Department of Education has launched an educational reform model embodied in a School Improvement Plan (SIP). The model is based on student-centered educational standards (quality criteria) to direct the four SIP processes of planning,…

This publication sets forth quality criteria that describe a high-quality school in the following areas: (1) English/language arts; (2) mathematics; (3) science; (4) history-social science; (5) foreign language; (6) visual and performing arts; (7) vocational-technical education; (8) students' paths through high school; (9) integrated skills; (10)…

Suggests that sociological training is not sufficiently demanding and thus does not attract high-quality students. The author makes specific suggestions emphasizing the importance of theoretical work, syntheses and careful analyses of existing theories, and advanced methodological work. Concludes that serious thinking about the goals of graduate…