Much research has noted the misalignment between kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12) academic standards and curriculum materials used in classrooms. Many states and education organizations have been pushing for greater use of standards-aligned curriculum, especially during the past several years. In this report, the authors share results…

The leadership of Qatar is greatly invested in its K-12 education reform, "Education for a New Era," because it views education as the key to the nation's economic and social progress. This study, one of a number of RAND studies that trace and document the reform process in Qatar, was designed to assess progress made in the first years…

Explores the concept of curriculum enactment, which calls attention to classroom uses of content and contextual constructions of meaning. The study's methodological framework draws on descriptive, interpretive, evaluative, and thematic dimensions of educational criticism. Two high school English and social studies classes exemplifying curriculum…

Provides examples of what content standard and a corresponding curriculum framework might look like in two subjects: world history and English. It examines how one teacher might translate these concepts into engaging lessons. Integration of subjects and relevance to students' lives are emphasized.(GLR)

"Informed math self-placement," a program implemented at American River College in Sacramento, California, to determine students' readiness for college-level math, has been in place for three years. This case study describes the development and implementation of math self-placement at American River. Math self-placement consists of a…

This book provides a guide for English language arts teachers in grades 6-12, demonstrating how students learn and how beliefs inform behavior. It promotes a student-centered and inquiry-based teaching philosophy. Seven chapters focus on: (1) "Education Begins with Philosophy" (e.g., belief shapes perception, curriculum in traditional and…

North Carolina first established a Standard Course of Study in 1898. The "North Carolina Standard Course of Study" provides every content area a set of competencies for each grade and high school course. Its intent is to ensure rigorous student academic performance standards that are uniform across the state. It includes the subject or…