The Real Basics are not the subject-matters of the three Rs but, instead, a fundamental social commitment to the traditional values of reflective thought and intellectual enrichment. (Editor)

State-level assessment is necessary so that parents, communities, and the legislature can know the cost and the benefits of the educational system as a whole. (Author/MLF)

An important part of curriculum planning for the teacher is knowing how to evaluate time expenditures against learning goals for individual students. (JD)

When compared with regular schools in the same district, fundamental school students performed as well as or better than regular school students; fundamental schools rated better on learning climate, discipline, and suspensions; and there were no differences in student self-concept. (Author/BW)

Educational strengths and limitations of the mastery learning instructional model in fulfilling the functions of instruction and student evaluation are examined. (MM)

Monitoring Learning Achievement (MLA), a joint UNESCO-UNICEF international education assessment initiative, obtains information on the "effectiveness of basic education provision[s] in terms of actual learning achievement." The empirical evidence from the 1999 MLA project countries provides both a diagnosis and possible actions to be…

Reports the results of a study that examined the relationships among basic skills, choice of assessment mode, and student performance in the general context of student learning strategies. The subjects were first year economics students at a college in Sydney, Australia. (AM)

A strong statement about the declining academic standards in Australian high schools and about the need for an educational system that embodies diligence and self-discipline. (AEA)

Presented are the results of a survey to determine how qualified the recent graduates of engineering schools are. Comments from employers are included. (SA)

States that students often enter college with few problem-solving skills. Urges colleges to offer appropriate skills-building courses to students as well as to school personnel, since they will be counseling students on financial aid and other issues. Asserts that, by integrating problem-solving skills into the curriculum, students will be better…

This case study describes steps for implementing innovative learning communities that build basic skills and foster self-confidence in students at the developmental level. (Contains 1 figure and 1 table.)

At the heart of No Child Left Behind's accountability system is the requirement that states test nearly every public school student in grades 3-8 and in one high school grade in reading and math. The magnitude of NCLB's testing requirements, the law's demanding deadlines, insufficient federal funding, and other factors have produced an undesirable…

This guide for parents indicates ways in which they can help their childen succeed in school. Sections focusing on language arts and mathematics list skills that students are required to master in kindergarten through fifth grades and suggest language arts activities for parents to implement at home. (RH)

This report for the 1982-83 school year summarizes the results of Project Primetime, an experimental program to improve students' basic skills in reading, writing, and arithmetic by reducing class size from kindergarten through the second grade. Three major results emerged from the study: (1) Students in the project scored higher on standardized…

The Department of Education's Secondary School Recognition Program (SSRP) was developed to identify and recognize unusually effective public secondary schools and, through publicity and other means, encourage the emulation of their successful programs, policies, and practices by practitioners in other schools. This directory describes a small…