Case study examines attitudes of principals in selected high-poverty/low-performing Florida schools toward the state's system of school improvement and accountability. Finds that principals oppose the high-stakes nature of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test because of unfair comparisons with more affluent schools. Principals believe that…

In Kansas City, Kansas, the school system wanted to do more than end two decades of court-ordered desegregation plans. The district created a comprehensive and integrated plan for educational improvement that can be used by any district. A three-pronged approach to school planning focuses on programs, demographics, and facilities. (MLF)

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), signed into law on January 8, 2002, states that its primary purpose is "to close the achievement gap through accountability, research-based instruction, flexibility and options for parents, so that no child is left behind." The goals of NCLB, according to the U.S. Department of Education, include…

In Nevada, school districts are countywide, giving the state 17 districts, the largest of which is Clark County School District (CCSD). Nearly 70% of the entire state's population resides in this county. For the past 10 years, population growth in this county has been the fastest in the nation. Such growth brings challenges especially with NCLB,…

This collection draws from the best of the "ERS Spectrum" principalship literature over the past five years to provide K-12 principals with a guide to reflective practice. The resource provided here is distinctive in the way it addresses the dual roles of the principal--as instructional and managerial leader--in a format that is designed both for…

For most of Minnesota's 150 years of statehood, its distinctive economic advantages were largely a function of its natural resources, such as timber, taconite and tourism. Today, while these and other resources remain cornerstones of the state economy, it is clear that the intellectual capacity of Minnesota's people is emerging as a promising…

This brochure provides an overview of the American Diploma Project (ADP) Network and describes the urgent need for improvements to the U.S. educational pipeline to ensure that all students are adequately prepared for the demands of the twenty-first century workplace. Through the ADP Network, states will: (1) make their high school standards,…

This paper synthesizes information derived from five sources regarding issues in testing as they related to the American 2000; an education strategy and the national education goals. The focus is on proposed national tests. The issue of national testing extends far beyond testing itself because it touches on the structure of the U.S. educational…

These hearing transcripts present testimony concerning the proposed Improving America's School (IAS) Act of 1993, which embodies the Clinton Administration's program for transforming the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. Testimony was heard from U.S. Secretary of Education, Richard W. Riley, accompanied by Marshall Smith, Under…

Assessment was studied in two accelerated schools, the Daniel Webster Elementary School in San Francisco (California) and the Fairbanks Elementary School in Springfield (Missouri) from October 1990 to March 1991. The accelerated schools movement for disadvantaged children began in the mid-1980s when researchers at Stanford University (California)…

This brochure describes the state of Washington's efforts to improve its educational program and to ensure that the state's young people are receiving the knowledge and skills they will need in the 21st century. In 1993, Washington established a Commission on Student Learning to work toward four educational goals. These goals call for students to:…

Aimed at school board members, this publication discusses the critical importance of developing an accountability system for a school district. The first chapter advises board members to balance their spending and resource allocations between equity and effectiveness. The option of greater regulatory flexibility mandates greater board…

The current accountability movement in education is examined in terms of its historical antecedents and federal versus state initiatives and requirements. The assumptions underlying the educational accountability movement are then considered, and refinements and extensions to these assumptions are proposed. The accountability movement in American…

Issues and assumptions underlying the current movement toward educational reform are explored. The historical antecedents of the current interest in accountability date back to before the turn of the century, but the beginning of mandated accountability in federal programs occured in the late 1960's. Publication of "A Nation at Risk" in…

The role of technology and the measurement of educational progress are discussed, with an emphasis on the development of school report cards. Comments are made from the perspectives of (1) a member of a university community and (2) a researcher in evaluation and measurement. Efforts to formulate school report cards in Florida, California, and…