The aim of this essay is to advance understandings of current efforts to democratize disciplined approaches to educational innovation and improvement in the US and other countries, with a specific focus on the macro-level policy contexts of improvement research in education. In the US, earlier analyses examined these policy contexts from a…

Legislation leading to the mandating of accountability testing in schools was chronicled between the publication of "A Nation at Risk" (1983) to the conclusion of No Child Left Behind (2016). Involvement in education by the federal government increased throughout the educational legislation during this time period. The Omnibus Trade and…

Claims that rigorous standards in schools will help children in navigating in the changing economy. Explains that Goals 2000 legislation, passed in 1994, can energize and expand local efforts to strengthen schools and reach high standards. Claims that teachers are the heart of educational improvement, while parents and business partners can…

The Goals 2000: Educate America Act, which became law in 1994 and was amended in 1996, emphasizes student learning through a long-term, broad-based effort to promote coherent and coordinated improvements in education. A report of this act's influence on education is presented here. The text provides a history of Goals 2000, including the…

Speculates about how opportunity-to-learn (OTL) standards might be defined and used at federal and state levels and, in the process, to better understand why OTL standards have become so controversial. The author discusses OTL within the context of The Goals 2000: Educate America Act and how the standards might be used and what they should…

In this excerpt from her new book, "National Standards in American Education: A Citizen's Guide," Diane Ravitch argues that there are steps local school boards, parents, and communities can take to implement educational reform and high academic standards. (MLF)

A chart/graph format illustrates the overlaps between the national educational goals contained in the Goals 2000: Educate America Act and with "National Agenda for Achieving Better Results for Children and Youth with Disabilities" document. Included among the topics addressed by these two initiatives are the following: increasing…

Highlights of Public Law 103-227 (Goals 2000: Educate America Act) are presented. Contents include: a summary of how this Act will provide a framework for meeting the national education goals for all students, including those with disabilities; selected definitions of terms used in the legislation; and objectives of the eight national education…

The Spanish-language booklet lists ways that parents, employers, teachers, administrators, principals, and grandparents, neighbors, and concerned citizens can help America reach the National Educational Goals. First, the booklet summarizes the National Education Goals in the areas of school readiness; school completion; student achievement and…

The Goals 2000 Act creates a framework for establishing high academic and skill standards. Offers ideas and suggestions for creating a community or school strategy to reach the National Education Goals. Lists key questions that require answers and ways that central office staff members can provide assistance to the local school site. (MLF)

Asserts that the new "National Standards for Arts Education" position the arts and music as equal partners with other curriculum areas. Maintains that it is inevitable that criticism of the standards will arise. Discusses likely areas of criticism and provides suggested responses that music teachers can use to support the standards. (CFR)

The Goals 2000: Educate America Act offers educators the opportunity to develop a plan for moving all students toward higher levels of learning and to create a broad partnership for activating that plan. This publication describes how teachers can participate in developing a school plan that is consistent with the Goals 2000 legislation. Teachers'…

Maintains that the release of the National Geography Standards in October 1994 was not a culmination of reform but the beginning of educational improvement in geography. Discusses geographic concepts and the continued role of educational technology in geographic instruction. (CFR)

Offers 10 academic criteria considered essential for states to adopt when establishing their educational standards. As an aid to standard setters, the article includes a list of titles from the "Defining World-Class Standards" series written by the American Federation of Teachers. Criteria categories are math, science, history and social…

This document is a transcript of two days of proceedings for a United States Senate committee hearing to discuss "Goals 2000: Educate America Act." This bill was proposed by President Clinton to provide a national framework for education reform; promote the research, consensus building, and systemic changes needed to endure equal…