Asserts that the study of history involves more than the passive absorption facts, dates, names, and places. Maintains that real historical understanding requires students to engage in historical thinking, to raise questions, and to marshal evidence. Describes skills for five types of historical thinking. (CFR)

Discusses current interest in a standard national curriculum and standardized testing, including national teacher standards, flexibility on the local level, choice of textbooks, governance, and costs. Cites foreign examples and describes organizations already active in the movement. (DM)

The full National Education Goals Report is a 246-page annual "report card" to the nation designed to focus on measurement: How well are we measuring up against the six national Goals? This 25-page executive summary is a companion document to the full report and attempts to compress its major findings. It is structured into three parts:…

Presents the National History Standards for United States History, grades 5 through 12. Includes an overview of 10 chronological time periods. Provides student objectives and recommended learning activities. (CFR)

The National Institute for Literacy's Equipped for the Future initiative was undertaken to achieve customer-driven, standards-based reform of adult literacy and lifelong learning through a broad, national consensus-building process. The initiative's six stages are as follows: (1) build consensus on the knowledge and skills adults need to fulfill…

This document consists of the first two volumes of the 1997 annual report on Australia's vocational education and training (VET) system. Examined in volume 1 are the following topics: strategic directions for 1997; overview of the VET system's operation and the Australian National Training Authority (ANTA) agreement; key initiatives in 1997 (the…