Rapid adoption of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), the Race to the Top (RTTT) competition, and backlash around these policies created widespread uncertainty among state educational agencies (SEAs). SEAs may have not had a clear direction about how to support standards implementation in a new context, and therefore, may have looked to their…

Since coming to office, the Obama Administration has been intent on standardizing what is taught at each grade level in all of the nation's schools. It has used its flagship "Race to the Top" competitive grant program to entice states to adopt the K-12 standards developed by a joint project of the National Governors Association (NGA) and…

Literacy is one of the most critical components of academic success, but the majority of students are leaving high school without the reading and writing skills needed to succeed in college and a career. According to ACT, fewer than 40 percent of black and Latino students are ready for college-level reading when they graduate from high school.…

Presented at the National Conference on Student Assessment in Orlando, hosted by the CCSSO (Council of Chief State School Officers), June 2008. This presentation explores use of the assessments within the classroom and how those choices can affect performance and learning.

Identified curricular and instructional practices within schools whose students exceeded the state passing average for Language Arts on the Alabama High School Graduation Examination, even though student population were predominantly high risk. Teacher and administrator data indicated that teachers' years of experience, certification levels, and…

Today's students face a barrage of competing texts in many different forms and media, and it is now up to teachers to help students determine not only "what" should be read but "how" it should be read. This book addresses this issue. The book explores the idea of "textual intelligence"; offers both practical and…

This paper outlines Standards of Learning for grades 6-12 students in Virginia that are covered when they attend live performances of William Shakespeare's plays. The paper details separate standards for each grade in English, subdivided into standards which fulfill requirements in Oral Language, Reading/Literature, Writing, and Research, along…

A sample language arts/history curriculum based on state curriculum standards was created and implemented in a classroom for 22 secondary students with emotional/behavioral disorders in a residential treatment program. Emphasis on story elements and narrative summary writing resulted in improvements in both summary writing skills and academic…

Designed for use with students in grades nine through twelve, the model curriculum standards in this guide were developed in response to Senate Bill 813 (Chapter 498, Statutes of 1983) of the California Legislature that focused on the reestablishment of high expectations for the content of courses taught in secondary schools and for the level of…

In this 10th grade social studies and language arts interdisciplinary unit, students research and report on historical figures from the turn of the 20th century. Students are required to work in pairs to learn about famous and common individuals, including Andrew Carnegie, Samuel Gompers, Susan B. Anthony, Thomas Edison, Theodore Roosevelt, Booker…

The Geography Educator's Network of Indiana's 2001 Exploring and Teaching Institute series led 23 educators from around the state on a six day traveling adventure. Participants explored art, literature/folklore, historical sites and archives, physical environments, architecture, economics, politics, and cultures associated with the Underground…

This curriculum guide presents the core standards and objectives for level 7-12 language arts instruction in Utah. The curriculum guide begins with a statement of the elementary and secondary school program of studies and high school graduation requirements. After a brief statement on the importance of language arts and core curriculum standards…

THIS BOOK CONTAINS PRINCIPLES AND GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR USE BY CALIFORNIA SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND THE FACULTIES OF INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS IN DEVELOPING ENGLISH PROGRAMS. THE "FRAMEWORK" IS DELINEATED IN FOUR MAJOR SECTIONS OF THE BOOK. THE INTRODUCTION DEFINES ENGLISH AS A SUBJECT AND SETS FORTH THE FRAMEWORK'S PURPOSE AND RELEVANCE FOR…

This document represents one section of the Delaware Teachers' Desk Reference to Standards and Performance Indicators for Curriculum Planning and Unit Development produced by the Delaware Department of Education. The Desk Reference is part of the Delaware Department of Education's ongoing efforts to provide assistance and support to local school…

The Reach System is a set of direct instruction (DI) programs designed to bring students who are performing as low as grade 1 level in language arts to performing at grade 8 level within 2 years of instruction delivered 3 hours per day. It involves a comprehensive system of professional development, curriculum, and instruction within the larger DI…