"Beyond Standards" highlights the structural conditions that have undermined the success of the standards movement and challenges us to confront them. The book offers an impassioned argument about the ways that our decentralized educational systems undermine the pursuit of educational equity and excellence. Morgan Polikoff applies a wide…

International policy trends point to an increased focus on student achievement, teaching quality, and school outcomes. Attention to Swedish students' poor academic achievement over the past two decades has resulted in an increased emphasis on the responsibility of municipalities and schools to create a better educational atmosphere through…

International and national assessments suggest that U.S. students' mathematics performance declines drastically as they progress to higher grades. Reforms to improve student math achievement and math curriculum have not yielded the hoped-for outcomes because improving math performance demands more systematic changes in how math teachers are…

The process of providing students with disabilities access to an education that is of appropriate quality is still a relatively new endeavor. Students with disabilities benefit from the support of family, educators, and many other professionals addressing the inequality that is faced in school. Ultimately, progress has been achieved from…

This, the fifth Global Report on Adult Learning and Education (GRALE), is also the final monitoring report on the Belém Framework for Action (BFA), the outcome document of the sixth International Conference on Adult Education (CONFérence INTernationale sur l'Education des Adultes -- CONFINTEA VI), held in 2009. This report serves a dual purpose.…

The aim of the five "Global Report on Adult Learning and Education" ("GRALE") reports compiled since 2009 has been to provide baseline data on the state of adult learning and education globally for policy-makers, professionals and the public. The first report (see ED540497) was designed to inform discussion during the sixth…

This article discusses the forthcoming UNESCO publication, "The Intersection of Gender Equality and Education in South-East Europe: A Regional Situation Analysis of the Nexus Between Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality)", authored by Sarah Fuller for the UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science…

A high-quality preschool education can foster critical development and learning that promotes joyful, affirming, and enriching learning opportunities that prepare children for success in school and life. While preschool programs generally provide emotionally supportive environments, their curricula often fall short in advancing learning in math,…

Despite federal policy and litigation, the continued placement of students with extensive support needs (ESN) in separate classes and schools continues across the United States. Since the enactment of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (1975), there has been a continuous stream of research regarding the positive effects of including…

Thriving communities depend on a strong early childhood education (ECE) system--one where both young children and members of the workforce are served and supported. In recent years, state government leaders have increasingly focused on changing qualifications for specific ECE roles, as increasing credential requirements has sometimes been…

In 2021, the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) implemented its recognition standard on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), identifying their combined importance in assuring quality in higher education, and recognizing their essentiality in realizing the vision of higher education as a public good. Recent Supreme Court decisions…

Socioeconomically Marginalized Youth of Color (SMYoC) across global contexts tend to receive lower academic grades and standardized test scores due to systemic racism and classism. Research suggests that preschool enrollment is associated with short-term positive academic effects, yet little is known about how absenteeism relates to later academic…

It is imperative for policy makers and institutional leaders to commit to expanding high-quality postsecondary pathways that can meet today's students and deliver on the promise of a personally and professionally rewarding career. Competency-based education (CBE) is focused on actual student learning rather than time spent in class or focused on…

This is the executive summary for the report, "Accelerating Students from High School to College and Careers: A Playbook for State Policymakers." College acceleration opportunities can set students up for success. But before this can happen, states need to thoughtfully advance college acceleration opportunities that prioritize quality,…

Quality and Equity in Education draws attention to the importance of developing and testing theories of educational effectiveness and using these theories for improvement purposes. It makes a major contribution to knowledge and theory building in research on promoting quality and equity in education. The book presents an improved version of the…