Throughout the 1990s, one state after another adopted prescriptive education standards enforced by frequent standardized testing, often of the high-stakes variety. A top-down, get-tough movement to impose "accountability" began to squeeze the life out of classrooms. Recently, politicians, corporate CEOs, and testing companies are trying to sell…

The author of this paper describes the responsibilities of the National Assessment Governing Board, of which she served as a member from November 1997 to September 2004. The Board is unlike any other board of which she has been a member. At the quarterly meetings, the Board not only discusses and makes major policy decisions but determines the…

The possibilities of the school are not unlimited. For this reason, in order to answer the question of what the existing resources ought to be used for there is always the problem of the choice of goals of the school's educational activity. Different schools have different possibilities when it comes to achieving the desired results of educational…

This paper argues that the current approach to educational quality formation in transnational higher education promotes educational imperialism, and that guidelines and practices should be altered to embrace context-sensitive measures of quality. The claims are sustained by findings from a study that investigated how academics understood and…

The NASPE STARS program is a national recognition program featuring three levels of excellence to recognize outstanding physical education programs in K-12 schools across America. The criteria for the award are based on the essential elements that are necessary for a quality physical education program, as defined by the published national…

Recommends setting national standards for high-quality early childhood education and care; cites research which proves the value of quality early childhood experiences; considers teacher-child ratios and other issues relevant to teachers; and discusses differences in regulations across states and the licensing caseload burden of state regulators.…

Describes how "Principles and Standards for School Mathematics" was developed and its highlights. (KHR)

We must determine national standards, an acceptable degree of student achievement, and ways to guarantee equity while encouraging excellence. Any school can increase its graduation rate by decree through social promotion and lowered grading scales. The shift to standards means a shift to measurable outcomes, true learning, and a quality product.…

This report contains four papers reflecting the richness and energy of the issues surrounding national standards in mathematics and science. Papers include: (1) "Are the NCTM Standards Suitable for Systemic Adoption?" (Deborah Tepper Harino); (2) "A Mathematician Looks at National Standards" (Judy Roitman); (3) "Comments about NCTM's Curriculum…

This document offers collected information about Opportunity-to-Learn Standards, which are intended to provide a framework that makes it possible for all students to have equitable access to high-quality education. The first two sections outline why Opportunity-to-Learn Standards are necessary and what they should do. The Summary states that…

Presents the case for a consensus-driven approach to setting subject matter standards for history education. The author argues that the National History Standard Project, designed to broaden the scope of U.S. and world history education, has carried out the original intent of its funders, rejected one-sidedness, and achieved a compromise that…

This group of articles includes the National Business Education Association's position statements on business education's role in educational reform and in computer literacy, an overview of the National Standards Project in Business Education, and statements by the Policies Commission for Business and Economic Education on keyboarding, computer…

Focuses on the benchmark statements of the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education in the United Kingdom. Addresses the document "Geography for Life: The National Geography Standards" created within the United States. Believes that the benchmark statement is useful for geographers within the United States. (CMK)

Argues the case for common national standards in K-12 public schools, explains why past national standardization efforts have stumbled, and explores what currently needs to be done as well as the perceived obstacles. The author concludes by explaining why the issue of common national academic standards is related to equality of opportunity. (GR)

Describes current provision of early childhood education in Australia, focusing on the South Australian curriculum, standards, and accountability framework. Argues that educational quality is relative to a particular culture, dependent on one's understanding of optimal child development, of societal priorities, and of the resources available to…