This report provides the historical background and interpretive analysis needed to understand controversies surrounding Common Core and its associated tests. In this report, Williamson M. Evers presents a revised and expanded version of his expert report for "Jindal v. United States Department of Education et al.," No. 14-CV- 534 (M.D.…

In this article, the author recalls the time she met Gary Nash at UCLA on July 13, 1992, when they began the work of creating the National Standards in History. Professor Nash was the leader in the development of the United States History Standards. In creating the Standards, they were to focus on Historical Thinking. They needed to organize the…

The American Federation of Teachers has developed a series of documents to help educators develop appropriate achievement standards or to describe the standards of other countries. Ordering information is given for these documents and kits for setting standards in particular disciplines. (SLD)

Describes three broad areas of challenge for the development of national curriculum content standards: (1) tension between leadership and consensus; (2) tension between flexible and specific standards; and (3) tension between up-to-date dynamic standards and reasonable expectations for systemic change. Examining tradeoffs necessary will result in…

Stresses key areas of political conflict in the certification of a national curricular content and explores trade-offs a national-standards approval group must make. The article analyzes left-wing support for explicit opportunity-to-learn standards and right-wing objections to educational outcomes and focuses on initial approval stages, not…

Asserts that efforts to achieve educational reform can have significant personal and professional effects on participants in the process. Presents "Ten Verities" as a perspective on the tremendous investment that participation in the reform process requires. Concludes that, the end product of world class geography standards will justify…

Whether common standards exist among the national standards for kindergarten through grade 12 mathematics, science, and civics and government was studied. Common standards were explored among "Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics," produced by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the "National…

Teachers of mathematics are leading a nationwide effort to bring about a complete redesign of both school and college mathematics programs by setting new and more demanding standards for what students must learn about mathematics, as well as for what teachers themselves must accomplish as professionals in the classroom. This brief document is…

This book provides a rationale for focal points for each grade level, prekindergarten-8. Focal points are important mathematical topics that represent major areas of content emphasis. Building on "Principles and Standards for School Mathematics," this publication is presented to begin a dialogue on what is important at particular levels…

The most important issue in education today is helping students reach high standards. These standards are changing American education from a system driven by inputs and regulations to one judged by results. This manual is intended for use with any set of standards. Followed step by step, it will take the teacher from the abstract statements of the…

The use of the term "world class standards" grows out of the rhetoric surrounding the National Education Goals of 1990. The perspective of the mathematical sciences education community on world class standards is offered through a description of their efforts on behalf of reform of mathematics education and a discussion of what such…

Reviews efforts to develop national content standards for teaching English. Today's standards movements are distinguished from earlier efforts in that the learner is recognized as active, the meaning is socially and historically contingent, and the purpose is the development of language for political power and the creation and appreciation of…

Reviews experiences from the science curricula developed by the National Science Foundation in the 1950s and 1960s for their relevance to national standard-setting efforts today. Experiences include choosing standards of success that fit available expertise, emphasizing professional development, and defining the target audience clearly. (SLD)

In January 1992, the National Council on Education Standards and Testing (NCEST) issued a report "Raising Standards for American Education," which called for the establishment of a national system of educational standards and assessments as a basis for comprehensive reform of U.S. education. This statement is a facsimile of the written…

This report presents detailed state-by-state descriptions of the range of state policies affected by the current education reform movement. It begins by presenting a typology of standards imposed by education decision-makers at the state, district and local level. This typology was used to identify, collect, and describe state-prescribed…