Explores the complexity of balancing curricular standards and accountability with professional creativity and development, focusing on four Chicago high schools that range from a college prep magnet school to a reconstituted school. The paper looks at how teachers respond to curricular standards, frameworks, and assessments and how they shape…

Shows that the mathematics curricula used in the highest achieving countries are very similar and coherent. Using a visual comparison, this paper explains where the United States comes up short, noting that in the countries with the highest mathematics achievement, teachers have coherent guidelines (national curricula) and related tools and…

Examined cooperating classroom teachers' perspectives regarding the professional block of a secondary education program. Data collection involved surveys assessing their perceptions of the importance of the program's standards and interviews regarding program strengths and weaknesses and college-school collaboration. Results indicated that…

The ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) and the NCATE (National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education) have adopted five sets of standards for technological competencies and curriculum guidelines for educational computing. This article describes the purpose and use of each set of standards. (PEN)

Describes the development and validation of the Standards Performance Continuum (SPC) for assessing teacher performance of the Standards for Effective Pedagogy. Three studies involving Florida, California, and New Mexico public school teachers provided evidence of inter-rater reliability, concurrent validity, and criterion-related validity…

Since 1985, when Memphis State University was cited as having the lowest graduation rate in the nation for basketball players and was accused of exploiting Black athletes, academic and athletics administrators have instituted a strict academic support program for all athletes, with encouraging results. (MSE)

The reforms urged by "A Nation at Risk" and "American Education: Making It Work" are examined in the context of vocational education. Also considered is how vocational programs can remain viable during the broadscale efforts to improve education, without emphasis on vocational programs by some administrators. (Author/CH)

Includes "The Foibles and Follies of Gerontological Imperialists" (Johnson); "The Time for Accreditation Has Come" (Connelly); "Professionals in the Field of Aging Should Be Credentialed" (Peterson); and "A Reaction to the Debate" (Lubben). (JOW)

The public is growing increasingly dissatisfied with public education. Vouchers hold the promise of professionalizing teaching, raising standards and student-achievement levels, and restoring taxpayers' confidence. Unless educators encourage dissent, the public will continue to perceive education as just another nonperforming, overbureaucratized,…

Argues that student who invested 12 years working hard, studying, and obeying teachers deserves diploma even though diploma's value may be suspect. In some states, like Alabama, value of 12-year investment can be reduced to zero by single multiple-choice test score. Schools must treat all students fairly by considering multiple intelligences and…

Analysis of data for nearly all U.S. graduate business programs finds that accreditation status differences for 90% of schools (n=573) can be explained by differences in measurable factors such as school size, aptitude test scores, faculty doctorates, and full-time percentages. Requirements for accreditation exceed standards of the American…

The 1980s reforms made many promises and provided few concrete results. Systematic coordination of teacher training with student needs is lacking; the SAT provides no incentives for studying a given curriculum; and outcome expectations and performance standards are low. This article advocates creating high-quality curriculum frameworks and…

Regarding Japanese students' high achievement levels, there are two important defining characteristics: high standards in all aspects of life and effort in problem solving. The idea of natural ability or talent is not very important. Ironically, Japanese colleges and universities are inadequate, despite rigorous qualifying examinations. (MLH)

Some academic administrators have long felt that colleges are too much influenced by specialized accrediting agencies. Under pressure to control costs and improve general education, some are attempting to limit the agencies' authority. Proponents say accreditation is needed and conflict is inherent in the system. (MSE)

A historical correlation of the five C's (communication, culture, connections, comparisons, communities) of the national foreign-language standards is explored. The rich tradition in "Hispania" details how the standards of today were preliminarily addressed in the past and woven onto the fabric of our educators. (Author/VWL)