This document is designed to help community-based organizations (CBOs) and civil rights groups get involved as full partners in developing a voluntary, national system of skill standards, assessment, and certification. Section 1 explains the benefits to CBOs and civil rights groups of becoming involved in the skill standards development. Section 2…

Reports on the controversy about the National History Standards, released in 1994 as part of the Goals 2000 program. Argues that the standards encourage critical thinking skills, active learning, use of primary sources, and integration of art and literature into history. (CFR)

Maintains that improving preservice geography teacher education is difficult because few geography faculty understand the teacher education process and many education professors are not well-educated geographically. Discusses 13 recommendations to improve preservice geography teacher education. (CFR)

Discusses the organizational development of the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) during the years 1982-1995. Describes the effort to establish national social studies standards in response to the national Goals 2000 movement. Describes the reorganization of the NCSS committee structure and central office staff. (CFR)

Describes the efforts of the Alaska Department of Education and geography educators to develop standards based on the National Geography Standards model. Discusses the statewide public consensus process and includes a chronological table of events. Provides six sample standards and performance criteria from the Alaska 2000 geography standards.…

Maintains that the effort to develop and implement national standards in the arts is politically correct but not free of psychological or pedagogical viewpoints. Asserts that educators must formulate the right questions and assess objectively the potential outcomes of an arts education program in reformed schools. (CFR)

Asserts that the National Geography Standards identify what students should know and be able to do as a result of geography instruction. Identifies the action verbs used in the Standards' activity statements. Discusses these verbs in the context of Blooms cognitive taxonomy. (CFR)

Discusses issues related to standardized testing and a national art curriculum. Maintains that cultural diversity among students makes valid and fair assessment difficult. Argues that teachers should be trained in the use of authentic assessment methods. (CFR)

This document traces the Goals 2000: Educate America Act and the School-to-Work Opportunities Act as they proceeded through Congress. The following papers are included: "Preface" (Douglas Bedient and Michael D. Usdan); "Introduction" (John F. Jennings); "The Goals 2000: Educate America Act. Providing a World-Class…