Politicians, less interested in purity than in popularity, are generally wary of national standards. Yet a standards-based accountability system is the core component of NCLB, and in some ways it has made standards advocates victims of their own success. Now, many activists are agitating to cut back the role of Washington in education, and a…

The U.S. Department of Education has notified 10 states that it intends to withhold a portion of their state administrative funds under the Title I program for failing to comply fully with the testing provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act by the end of the 2005-06 school year. Those funds would instead be diverted directly to school…

In this article, the authors address the gap between the spirit of the national history standards and what now is occurring in middle grades classrooms constrained by state standards and the No Child Left Behind policy. The authors suggest that creating a lab-like classroom environment to promote historical inquiry offers one means to close that…

What is the responsibility of an educator--where does it begin and end? We report on a study of teachers at four admired public high schools in urban areas in the US. The teachers describe their deep commitment to meeting students' academic needs, as well as their developmental, social and emotional needs. The ways these teachers construe…

The federal government has taken control of state education systems, and state leaders want them back, legislators around the country say. Through the No Child Left Behind Act, Congress and the U.S. Department of Education have forced state lawmakers to expand their testing systems, alter the ways they reward and punish schools, and spend their…

Since the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation, education policy makers have focused on students at the lower end of the achievement spectrum, specifically those struggling to meet standards, particularly in reading and mathematics. However, those who are considered gifted have been increasingly underserved, at the expense of high ability…

The influence of traditional and alternative teacher preparation programs on student achievement and instruction in high-need urban secondary schools was investigated through a mixed-method comparative design. Three research questions were addressed: (a) Does the type of teacher training influence the academic achievement of students in…

National and state assessments have produced an abundance of data regarding the strengths and weaknesses of student achievement. However, to date, little has been written to guide educators regarding the use of these data to increase student achievement. This practical guide will provide educators with a step-by-step process for gathering and…

Within the next decade, national standards describing essential outcomes in various school subjects could become the glue holding together curriculum frameworks and guides, textbook adoption, staff development, and student assessment. This article discusses confusion over definitions and intentions, raises questions about delivery and assessment…

The most recent school reform agenda directed the development of national standards across the academic content areas to improve educational practice and pedagogy. U.S. Department of Education's (1994) Goals 2000: The Educate America Act and its subsequent nationwide implementation largely ignored the involvement of school counseling in school…

This paper discusses whether music educators should push for national testing of music students. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) did test music students in 1997. Even though the results of that test did not indicate students were very accomplished, there was a general feeling that at least NAEP and the nation recognized…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) Democrats Consider Leftover Spending Bills: Coalition of Health and Education Advocates Pushes for $2 Billion in Additional…

Flexibility and accountability are two levers for change that occupy an increasingly prominent place among federal strategies for educational improvement. In return for introducing higher academic standards and performance-based accountability systems, states and districts have been granted increasing flexibility over how they may use the funding…

This study provides a complete review of discussion and development leading up to the current trends in Deaf Studies curriculum development, and also analyzes existing known curriculum (or curriculum-like) materials to help inform development of an ideal standards-based Deaf Studies curriculum. The common shared arguments identified in this…

As part of the 2004 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), states are required to comply with the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) beginning July 19, 2006. NIMAS is defined as "the standard established by the Secretary to be used in the preparation of electronic files suitable…