To assist in upcoming deliberations on the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the Center on Education Policy asked three outstanding experts in special education to write papers advising on whether and how IDEA should be changed. The resulting papers in this publication include: IDEA 2002 Reauthorization; An…

This "NAEP Arts Report Card" for music, theater, visual arts, and dance is in the form of a CD-ROM. This version includes recordings, videos, and other materials used as stimuli for students, extensive examples of student works of art and performances, and explanations of how these works of art and performances were scored. The report's…

The Delaware Student Testing Program ties student achievement to the state's content standards that define the knowledge and skills Delaware students need to succeed beyond high school. This report explains the testing program and how to interpret it for administrators and boards of education. Each school receives English language and mathematics…

The Delaware Student Testing Program ties student achievement to the state's content standards that define the knowledge and skills Delaware students need to succeed beyond high school. This report explains the testing program to teachers and presents a guide to interpreting test results. Section 1 introduces the testing program, which tests…

This paper examines how urban school districts that have substantially improved student performance emphasize improvement of education guided by rigorous standards for teachers rather than high-stakes testing for students. States and districts that rely on test-based accountability emphasizing sanctions for students and teachers often produce…

Because many school funding studies are seriously flawed, valid conclusions cannot be reached concerning the effects of school funding in the United States. New evidence from the National Assessment of Educational Progress and two international achievement tests shows that differences among U.S. public school districts (and states) in funding and…

A survey of 45 dental schools concerning policies and procedures for advancing predoctoral dental students found much time and effort of both dental faculty and administrators were devoted to advancement decisions, and considerable variability was found on certain issues, including the right to reexamination or remediation, nature/composition of…

Focuses on the need for linguistic tolerance to deal with the demographic challenges of the future in America. The article emphasizes that the best way for the City University of New York to face these changes is to formulate policies recognizing the evolving linguistics of a culturally diverse society while simultaneously reenforcing the need for…

Provides three samples of assessment strategies to be used in conjunction with the "National Standards for Music Education" from the recently published, "Performance for Standards, Grades Pre-K12: Strategies and Benchmarks for Assessing Progress Towards the National Standards." The samples include assessments for grades K-4,…

Describes a California project which encourages educators to follow best practices for staff development and school improvement. The project helps them evaluate their staff-development plans by examining five essential questions about staff development and its connections to student success, professional climate, standards, and assessment. The…

Presents tips, gleaned from federal research, to help parents understand how their children are doing in school, including: know what is expected; know the child's reading level; understand test scores; solicit teacher feedback; become familiar with the child's homework; use report cards to identify overall progress; stay attuned to social skills;…

This review looks at the reform movements in the nation's two most populous states--Texas and California. Both states are in a desperate pursuit to demonstrate student competency of standards and achievement by way of student performance on standardized tests to meet federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) compliance. In examining the accountability…

Research indicates that while grade retention does not typically increase student performance, it is widely practiced in schools throughout the country. Arguments for retaining a child include immaturity, the belief that an extra year of schooling will produce successful academic outcomes, and failure to meet criteria for promotion. Those who…

The requirements of (NCLB) and the 2004 reauthorized Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) emphasize higher standards and achievement of all students. Fundamental changes are being implemented in organizing for instruction, staffing, and differentiating instruction. Leaders recognize the wall must come down between general and special education…

As societal expectations about attending college have grown, professors report increasing numbers of students who are unprepared for the rigors of postsecondary education--not just more students with learning disabilities (whose numbers have more than tripled), but students (with and without special admission status) who are academically at-risk…