As part of a qualitative study of education reform in four rural Kentucky school districts, this report examines instructional changes that have occurred in the upper primary grades as a result of the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA). Researchers interviewed 13 principals, 37 teachers, and 14 eighth-grade students; observed 73 teachers working…

The "Goals 2000: Educate America Act" emphasizes including all students in education reform considerations and expects all students to achieve world-class educational standards and learn challenging content to a high level of performance. The Act also establishes voluntary opportunity-to-learn (OTL) standards. OTL standards are defined…

This document consists of 11 issues of the newsletter, "Community Update," published between April 1994 and March 1995. The newsletter provides information to help schools and communities reach the National Education Goals. Each issue contains announcements of monthly satellite town meetings; developments and issues relating to the Goals…

Research during the 1960s and early 1970s suggested that the different outcomes of schooling for different students were due to factors outside the school. There was no consensus among the researchers over which factors outside the school had the greatest effect on student achievement. Swedish educational research has made many important…

This theme issue of "Update on Gifted Education" brings together accounts of diverse efforts being made to encourage excellence and equity in schools. A dialogue with Lionel R. Meno, Commissioner of Education in Texas, stresses how services for gifted students fit into the larger picture of addressing the needs of all students, examines…

This special double issue focuses on the issue of alternative assessment and its place in educational reform. "Alternative Assessment: A National Perspective" (T. Stefonek) emphasizes that the fundamental purposes of new assessment methods are grounded in educational goals, meaningful outcomes, and curricular and instructional programs…

Designed for classroom use, this publication provides an overview of the first Space Shuttle/Spacelab mission, a cooperative venture between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The main purpose of ESA's Spacelab, which will be carried aboard NASA's Space Shuttle (technically called the…

Reports from the National Commission on Excellence in Education, the Carnegie Commission, and recent survey responses from colleges and universities across the United States have verified suspicions about student inabilities to demonstrate acceptable levels of literacy skills. The first step toward achieving excellence is structuring, demanding,…

Behavioral scientists maintain that a board-superintendent relationship thrives only within a total organization that is sound and healthy. To develop such an organization, agreement should be reached at the onset on what exactly is board policy and prerogative and what is in the administrative domain. A board must develop its goals with the…

This paper summarizes the proceedings of a conference held to discuss evaluation in vocational education. The agenda included welcome speeches and the introductory address by Robert Savy, President of the Regional Council of Limousin (France); an opening session with statements from representatives of the Commission of the European Communities…

Describing the findings and insights gained from a two-year research and development project entitled "Integrating Assessment with Instruction," this document focuses on the current measurement needs of teachers and the instructional processes for meeting those needs. The article is divided into four segments: (1) a description of the…

This journal, designed as a forum for the exchange of ideas among research and planning professionals, offers articles of research studies and practices. After Timothy Lightfield highlights upcoming professional association events, Janice S. Ancarrow's article, "The National Vocational Education Data Reporting and Accounting System (VEDS): Its…

The project on which this report focuses is basically a research and development enterprise set up to investigate the possibilities of constructing and introducing core syllabuses and to study problems that emerge in such an undertaking. The project is largely an attempt to test the feasibility and practicability of an approach to curriculum and…

The recent development of the communicative approach to foreign language instruction has been accompanied by many methodological applications, most of which have revolved around an authentic use of discourse. This evolution in language instruction presents some problems, especially when communicative competence is interpreted too narrowly. Some…

This journal contains articles and materials to help teachers instruct students about U.S. historical and cultural heritage. Articles and materials are: "The National Register of Historic Places Today" (C. D. Shull); "The (Economic) Value of National Register Listing" (D. D. Rypkema); "The National Register and Heritage…