Professional educators in the classroom, library, counseling center, or anywhere in between share one overarching goal: ensuring all students receive the rich, well-rounded education they need to be productive, engaged, citizens. This regular feature explores the work of professional educators--their accomplishments and their challenges--so that…

This author states that, since the civil rights movement, Americans have documented and decried--but done little to decrease--the achievement gap. This gulf, one of many that divide people by race and class, has festered in part because the larger question of inequitable investment in poor communities of color has long been neglected.…

The American Federation of Teachers has developed criteria for teachers, parents, and others to use in judging the usefulness and effectiveness of student achievement standards. The 10 criteria, first published in 1994, can be used in standards development, professional development, and community awareness efforts. (SLD)