This book was written to be a comprehensive snapshot of the field of curriculum trends over time. The information included in the book was guided by three criteria: (1) The trend must have been present in some form for 5 to 10 years or longer; (2) the trend had to be of interest at federal, state, and local levels; and (3) the trend had to…

In 2001 Congress appropriated funds for a trial district-level assessment and the National Assessment Governing Board passed a resolution approving the selection of five large urban school districts for participation in the Trial Urban District Assessment, a special project within the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). This report…

This 20-minute videotape features 2 schools that have maintained a school culture based on using myriad data sources and processes to fuel their school-improvement activities. In the video the voices of teachers and administrators in each school articulate the ways they have used data to improve student achievement. They highlight numerous data…

This report reviews, in the context of the upcoming reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the operation of special education programs in three cities: Chicago, Illinois; Cleveland, Ohio; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Case studies of each of the school systems address whats working in special education, current…

In recent years, the view that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is vital in K-12 education has become widespread. ICT use in schools has increased and various professional bodies have set ICT standards for students and teachers. Schools of education are under pressure to produce teachers who are able to effectively integrate…

This document synthesizes the 1999 National Center on Educational Outcomes report on special education outcomes, subtitled "A Report on State Activities at the End of the Century," and reviews the changes in states' assessment policies and practices for students with disabilities over the past decade. The report finds that despite the fact that…

This paper offers an alternative ranking of top American research universities, criticizing the methodology used by US News & World Report and its commercialization. It begins by questioning two "givens"--the American pursuit of the "best" and the rankings "game" of trying to define the best colleges and…

This guide addresses various aspects of authentic assessment as it is used in vocational education. The guide contains five chapters, each written by different authors. Following an overview and definitions of terms by Rodney L. Custer, John W. Schell discusses the theoretical foundations of authentic assessment, reviewing psychological,…

A project was conducted to revise the list of assessment instruments that Pennsylvania Department of Education, Bureau of Adult Basic and Literacy Education (ABLE)-funded agencies are permitted to use to report learner gains. Through a mail survey, the project researched 19 standardized assessment instruments used by agencies for reporting learner…

This guide provides information about the assessment and inclusion of all students in statewide and district assessment programs. In particular, it focuses on tactics for including students with disabilities in assessment to achieve a more complete picture of student learning and educational accountability. It is designed to help Wisconsin…

This document presents the framework and rationale for assessing the science achievement of students throughout the United States in 1996 and 2000. A general overview of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and the NAEP Science Framework adopted by the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB) is provided. The process by which…

The Learning Record is a framework teachers can use to translate their observations of students into a disciplined, systematic, standards-based reporting process. This guide offers all the information necessary to use the Learning Record in the upper grades. The chapters are: (1) "Documenting Prior Experience"; (2) "Documenting Student Learning";…

This report summarizes the list of expenditures submitted by 106 California community colleges for the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 fiscal years. It is intended to show how colleges have been using their allocated Partnership for Excellence (PFE) money, and how they intend to use additional funds in 1999-2000. Information is presented by college for six…

This paper describes the development work and research findings of an initiative to create a statewide literacy assessment in New York to inform teaching and learning and report on group performance trends. The Early Literacy Profile (ELP) is a classroom-based, standards-referenced performance assessment for students in the primary grades…

This document describes educational outcomes assessment at Austin Community College (ACC) in Texas, identifying three levels: (1) classroom; (2) course or program; and (3) institutional. ACC's assessment process provides information to enhance the quality of teaching and learning as well as the quality of services offered in support of these…