This document examines the major issues and implications related to the development of quality guidelines for adult literacy programs in Ontario (Canada) and presents a framework for discussing issues related to quality guidelines and their formulation. Discussed in the first section are the following topics: the place of quality issues/guidelines…

A description and analysis of the America 2000 educational strategy emphasizes the questions of what children and youths deserve and need in terms of education, and what the process of taking children and youth seriously involves in practice for teachers, administrators, parents, and others. After stressing that America 2000 is a national, rather…

The National Education Standards and Improvement Council (NESIC) was established in the Goals 2000: Educate America Act. One of NESIC's duties is to identify areas in which specific educational standards ought to be developed. Several complex issues arise in carrying out this duty, such as: the need for standards in such non-content areas as…

This paper examines: (1) what those who directly employ and educate America's students after they leave high school think of the quality of the U.S. elementary and secondary schools; (2) what recent students and their parents think of the quality of the education they or their children received; and (3) what a cross section of Americans think…

This booklet provides information on the approval and accreditation of degrees and related qualifications for New Zealand institutions, government training establishments, and private training establishments. The first of the booklet's eight sections explains the criteria for approval of New Zealand degree and related courses and for accreditation…

An overview of the nature, benefits, and steps involved in Colorado's Guaranteed Graduate Program, a process that assures that high school graduates have the knowledge and skills considered essential for entry into employment and postsecondary education, begins this document. A discussion of the portfolio process follows, along with descriptions…

This guide has two main objectives: (1) to help school board members become better governors of the local educational enterprise; and (2) to help school board members respond to questions from the public about the National Commission on Excellence in Education report entitled "A Nation at Risk." To meet these objectives, the guide offers…

The advantages of off-campus extension education courses in rural settings are numerous, and extension courses offered on a noncredit basis present minimal problems for the individuals responsible for administering them. When such courses are offered for credit, however, the problems associated with administering them increase dramatically.…

The academic program development and planning process of the Indiana Commission for Higher Education are examined and contrasted with values and criteria of faculty and institutional leaders. The Indiana Commission is concerned about program structure with regard to student access, student choice, and institutional diversity. It has specific…

A consensus exists regarding the need to improve law enforcement and to upgrade the quality of police officers through the imposition of higher educational standards. Three rationales for educational upgrading include: (1) to improve effectiveness in performing crime control functions through better motivation and greater ability in applying…

The author discusses the need for a more disciplined society through more disciplined education. Discipline and moral values in education are the keys to responsible citizenship, which is disappearing in the United States today. Without abandoning compassion and special attention to minorities, a nationwide commitment to high standards and…

State policymakers can have an impact on the quality of the teaching force if they look seriously at three issues. The first issue is setting and enforcing teaching standards: setting standards for teacher education, teacher licensing, and ongoing evaluation and professional development; working toward National Council for the Accreditation of…

This 60-minute VHS videotape of a U.S. Department of Education Satellite Town Meeting focuses on the future of learning in U.S. schools and what it will take to create challenging, exciting, high performing schools. It explains that there cannot be excellent learning without excellent teaching. The 1985 National Teacher of the Year co-hosts this…

Reviews the evidence on how the concept of opportunities to learn can be applied to the demand for more challenging content for all students. Concludes that students learn more if they are offered more demanding curricula. However, such curricula creates the probability of unacceptable rates of failure. (MJP)

Argues that geography often is relegated to a negligible role in social studies curricula and that geography instruction suffers from a lack of standards and educational research. Recommends establishing intensive cooperative programs developing a thorough knowledge base for geography teachers and encouraging instructional research. (MJP)