International educational benchmarks make disappointing reading for Americans, but they also indicate a way forward. PISA results show strong performance is possible. Whether in Japan, Korea, Finland or Canada, many countries display strong overall performance and show socioeconomic background doesn't determine results. Some countries show that…

Much has been written about sustainable large-scale change, but there are few examples of it. Over the last four years, the province of Ontario, Canada, has been engaged in just that work of moving from a system that was in constant conflict to one that has generated both much improved student outcomes and positive energy. The Ontario education…

Almost all of the most recent school improvement strategies have focused on standards and accountability. But test data from assessments such as the National Assessment of Educational Progress indicate that such emphasis has had little impact on student achievement. Drawing from extensive research across national settings, Andy Hargreaves and…

Context-driven, classroom-based tests are no substitute for districtwide assessments, whose purpose is to furnish rich, compelling evidence about the achievement of district goals. The challenge is to create large-scale assessments that align with district goals, reflect classroom practice, and provide evidence of student learning.…

Provides background information on and results of two Canadian task force reports, one on labor market development in the 1980s and the other on federal-provincial fiscal arrangements. (WD)

Under a bill amending Ontario, Canada's Educational Accountability Act, teachers were expected to resume formerly "voluntary" extracurricular duties they resigned when ordered to teach an extra class. The government's strategy to recast these activities as "co-instructional" did not fly. However, the education minister is…