The Every Student Succeeds Act gives states greater flexibility in designing educational policy, but questions remain about whether and how states will use this opportunity to design truly innovative new policies to support higher levels of student learning. The authors describe how educational leaders in four states--California, Iowa, New…

Review of suit brought by high school basketball player against Iowa school district claiming the district was guilty of negligent misrepresentation. High school counselor advised student to take a communications course, saying it would satisfy NCAA core English requirements, but he later found out it did not, resulting in his loss of a…

A graduate of the University of Northern Iowa's College of Education fears that his education and that of future graduates have been devalued by four university presidents' decision to withdraw from NCATE (the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education). The rationale (high expense and low standards) is unsatisfactory. Without NCATE…

Presents tables showing that the variability among states for results of the 1992 International Assessment of Educational Progress and National Assessment of Educational Progress is as great as that among countries. Also, Asian-American students score higher than any other students in the world. First- and second-ranked states are listed for math…

Sympathizes with Iowa universities' decision to withdraw from National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), despite James Sutton's objections in October 1993 issue of "Kappan." Preparation for NCATE accreditation costs too much; the language of the standards is too political. The Iowa presidents were frustrated by…

Parker's rejoinder accuses the author of overlooking the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education's need for improvement, though his original article ("Kappan," October 1993) criticizes the four Iowa university presidents for refusing to participate in the improvement process. NCATE's standards are complicated and…

Reports on an Iowa survey of school compliance with state-legislated activities (in this case, a needs assessment) and of administrator attitudes toward the worth of the mandated program. (IRT)

Reviews the motives behind four Iowa university presidents' decision to drop NCATE (the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education), including budgetary shortfalls, declining program quality, NCATE's "intrusion" into liberal arts domains, antipathy toward accountability, and negative attitudes toward teaching. By acting…