At the fall 1996 Education Summit, 40 governors and 45 business leaders called for higher student achievement standards. This article provides some historical background for the standards-based education movement and introduces essays exploring the movement from various perspectives. Although some educators remain skeptical, standards-based…

The standards movement is in a state of crisis. Although states have made progress in developing and implementing standards, some standards-driven reforms and takeover sanctions represent significant threats to students and educators. Principals should focus on new opportunities to become instructional leaders, help teachers use standards to…

Developing national academic standards may improve students' preparation for work or college. However, any proposed new national assessment system will be doomed to failure if seen as the cure-all for the country's educational ills. The contributors to this "NASSP Bulletin" issue examine numerous challenges associated with using tests as a tool to…

National standards for education are important elements in the excellence process, but standards imposed by a central authority simply do not work in the Information Era. It would be wise to increase teachers' decision-making role in establishing and implementing local level excellence standards and train teachers to employ the Japanese "kaizen"…

Through participation in school music programs, students gain a sense of discipline, self-esteem, pride of accomplishment and learn to excel in teamwork, problem solving, leadership, creative thinking. Education Secretary Richard W. Riley and President Bill Clinton are strong advocates for enriched arts education for every child. Newly developed…

America must focus on educating its population according to its own "whole-child" standards and prioritize education funding. The "American Way" involves watching TV, participating in organized sports, and allowing teens to work. It would be hard to make necessary social concessions to meet higher standards. (Contains 20…

The articles in this special section discuss emerging national standards and chart future developments for secondary curricula in health, physical education, arts, music, family and consumer sciences, technology, science education, business education, and social studies. Emphasis is on reform efforts, knowledge development, curriculum frameworks,…

Students who learn more geography have a dual payoff: intellectual challenge through the introduction of new, stimulating information about people, places, and regions; and exposure to career possibilities that did not exist even five years ago. The 18 national geography standards stress a spatial world view, places and regions, physical and human…

The National Association of Secondary School Principals and the American School Counselor Association concur that a school-counseling program's success requires capitalizing on counselors' training, expertise, and ability to deliver a program that contributes significantly to the school's mission and supports expectations of new standards and…