Compares characteristics of high school educational systems from 10 countries with exemplary educational systems. Describes a resulting set of world class standards and observes the acceptance or rejection of these standards in the United States. Discusses world class practices in American high schools. Offers a starter agenda for delivering world…

Provides background on civic education in the United States and differentiates between civic and citizenship education. Discusses content and reflective inquiry instructional approaches and their integration through national standards. States that national standards have the potential to refocus attention on civic learning. Addresses the future of…

Discusses the use of standards-based instruction in large ensemble rehearsals and the implementation of the National Standards for Music Education. Provides a sample lesson using "The Ash Grove," a piece arranged for band with notes on lesson preparation and rehearsal strategy. (CMK)

Recent concerns about "fairness" in university entrance have highlighted the need to review existing practices in admissions processes. The agendas for equity and social inclusion, however, must also apply to the processes and outcomes of higher education, where considerations of "standards" are additionally crucial. As…

School subjects are analogous to medieval alchemy. There is a magical change as mathematics, science, and social sciences move from their disciplinary spaces into the classroom. The educational and social psychologies have little or nothing to do with understanding disciplinary practices. They are intellectual inventions for normalizing and…

This report highlights the importance of addressing the unique set of needs of middle-level students. The struggle over structuring and content of middle-level education--the K-8 versus middle-school/junior-high argument--mirrors to a considerable extent the broader recurring battle of traditionalism versus progressivism. There are few empirical…

Obtaining technological and scientific knowledge process change incredibly and rapidly in today's society as individuals continuously must construct and reconstruct their expertise in a process of lifelong learning. For this reason, scientific literacy is also of increasing importance in individuals' workplace. So, suggested approaches to promote…

This study examined one urbanized Southeastern county school district's experience in attempting to implement an educational reform program that called, among other things, for higher standards. By focusing on standardized norm-based and criterion-referenced educational tests administered to students according to grade level, this school system…

Applying the educational experiences of Arizona as a backdrop, this opinion paper discusses, quite broadly, reform of public education. In Arizona, academic standards have been judged the best in the nation by the Fordham Foundation; to measure academic progress, the state uses only the Stanford 9 test; there has been public school open enrollment…

This article discusses forces driving mathematics reform: shifting theoretical paradigms, disappointing levels of mathematics performance of students in the United States, and the impact of rapidly changing technologies. Concerns about this reform from the special education community are discussed, and synthesized special education research…

Describes a development in high school psychology called the Psychology of Partnerships Project (P3). Addresses the creation of national teaching standards in psychology and considers the uses of computer technology. Advocates a new national survey to evaluate high school psychology education. (CMK)

This EdSource report summarizes the Initial Findings issued in October 2005 from a two-year study conducted by EdSource, Stanford University, University of California-Berkeley, and American Institutes for Research (AIR). In addition, this report includes information collected during the study but not previously reported (from superintendent…

Based on interviews with state administrators and local educators in four states that are actively implementing skills standards in secondary and postsecondary education, this report describes strategies for using industry skill standards to improve education. Following introductory materials, strategies are reviewed for overcoming obstacles to…

This paper reports on our investigation of how AACSB standards can be woven into an MBA curriculum. The result is a bold move away from functional "silos" and a radical redesign using a cross-functional integrated approach. The Cotsakos College of Business's curricular requirements were examined in order to determine whether or not they…

The present system of education in the United States is wasteful of human and monetary resources and is organized to deny learning opportunities to most students. Education is the biggest business in the United States, and it is the most important business because it molds the character and ability of current and future citizens. Schools should be…