Although at one time leadership for establishing requirements in certification and preservice teacher education programs was the domain of teacher educators, that responsibility has shifted to legislators. An example of the result of the legislator's role in program development is a competency based teacher education program. (JN)

Examines the emerging context for state policies and practices that focus on college students' learning outcomes, exploring various state efforts that can potentially influence undergraduate students' outcomes (e.g., funding, academic programming, staffing, and accountability). Strategies to enhance policy effectiveness in this arena emphasize…

States' policy approaches to accountability tend to divide between a primary emphasis on input guarantees and a primary emphasis on performance guarantees. In the midst of keen controversies about the impact of high-stakes testing under the No Child Left Behind Act, this article examines separate and joint effects of input-guarantee versus…

A "high-stakes" test can directly and powerfully influence how teachers teach and students learn. Six principles that describe the negative consequences of measurement-driven instruction are discussed, and the effect of these consequences on student and teacher behavior, as well as the test itself, is outlined. (IAH)

The role of the teacher as researcher is related to key themes in the literature on action research. Current issues facing teachers involved in research into their own practice are highlighted. The pressure of accountability placed on teachers is discussed in the context of teacher research. (IAH)

The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education developed draft standards for Professional Development Schools (PDSs). This article discusses the PDS concept and origins, examines why PDSs are important, and argues for standards as a means of supporting the PDS work and holding PDSs accountable for multiple results. The draft standards…

Uses the demand-supply continuum to look at emerging reforms in the Japanese educational system. Data from fieldwork in major urban districts and their prefectures in Nagoya, Osaka, and Tokyo highlight demand-driven reform (higher education restructuring), integrated governance (mediating demand and supply at the K-12 levels), and ongoing…

This article identifies several reasons for demands for teacher and student accountability. Minimum competency testing of students and teachers is discussed within the context of the accountability movement, and the implications of such testing as an evaluation tool are considered. (IAH)

Examined similarities and differences in teacher and principal perceptions of the effects of two state-level rewards and sanctions programs. Interviews with teachers, principals, and other administrators, and surveys of principals, indicated that overall, salary bonuses with sanctions linked to a comprehensive education reform initiative more…

Examined the influence on schools and classrooms of advisory school councils. Interviews with students, teachers, administrators, and parents from five schools indicated that councils had weak positive to negative influences on schools and classrooms. More influential councils had facilitative principals and used a collaborative team approach.…

Higher education institutions can enhance school reform by establishing accountability measures for professional preparation of curriculum specialists. The article describes a knowledge base of curriculum domains and related practices. A quantifiable compendium of operationalized behaviors and skills can help establish frameworks for program…