Decentralization and an increased emphasis on community and parent participation represent significant education reform trends over the past decade. These reforms take place in the context of increased emphasis within Education for All (EFA) on improving education quality and outcomes and on strengthening accountability for results. They require…

The Outstanding Schools Act (1993) called upon Missouri's educational community to strengthen expectations and opportunities for students served by Missouri public schools to ensure that graduates of Missouri's public schools have the knowledge, skills, and competencies essential to lead productive, fulfilling, and successful lives. Four major…

This publication concentrates on assessments that occur on a day-to-day basis within the science classroom. Such classroom assessments constitute an ongoing process in which teachers and students interact to promote enhanced student learning. This process involves using a variety of assessment strategies and tools to collect information about…

This concise volume offers educational leaders key concepts and strategies for framing discussions about closing the equity gap and ensuring high achievement for all learners. As the first volume in "The Soul of Educational Leadership" series, this unique collection presents: (1) Pedro Noguera and Alan Blankstein on essential questions and themes;…

This 9-week curriculum workshop, "Buddy Books," is a creative art and writing partnership between middle and elementary schools. The workshop offers eighth-grade students an opportunity to use writing workshop methods to draft, revise, confer, edit, illustrate, and publish children's books with first-grade students at a neighboring…

The Great War of 1914-1918 significantly shaped the course of the 20th century, both at home and abroad. How can this pivotal event be personalized and brought to life for students in the new millennium? Few survivors of the World War I era are alive today to directly share their recollections of this historical time. Yet, by delving into the…

Part of a larger study on the experience of teaching in the steel mill learning environment was an inquiry focused on professional development. Teachers and coordinators were all members of the Teachers Action Research Group for Educational Technology (TARGET), a group of adult educators interested in improving learning and teaching in career…

This teacher's guide is intended to inform the education community of the design of the Louisiana Educational Assessment Program for the 21st Century (LEAP 21) criterion-referenced tests (CRTs). The guide includes the following: an overview of the design of the state tests in English Language Arts (ELA) for grades 4, 8, and 10; sample test items;…

This report presents selected 1996 educational and social statistics that provide information about the status of children in Nevada. State statistics are in some cases compared to national statistics. The first part presents facts about education in Nevada with regard to student characteristics, enrollment, racial and ethnic populations, high…

Mobilizing communities to support educational improvements is one of the challenges confronting educators in the Freely Associated States (FAS), which consists of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau. This booklet aims to establish a consensus on broad educational goals and to rebuild…

The paternal estate of U.S. President James Madison is nestled at the foot of Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains. The estate, Montpelier, features a large mansion designed for hospitality, a fine garden, and a widespread lawn. In the early 19th century, countless visitors expressed a great sense of pleasure in the place and the people who lived…

The U.S. Department of Education's Strategic Plan 2002-2007 (2002) established an objective to "reduce the gaps in college access and completion among student populations differing by race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and disability while increasing the educational attainment of all." Upward Bound, which made its first awards in 1965, has…

A purposeful sample of four comprehensive urban high schools involved in educational restructuring initiatives was analyzed to determine how each site has implemented educational restructuring efforts and how vocational education fits into those restructuring efforts. The four sites studied were as follows: Bryan High School in Omaha, Nebraska;…

The materials describe Kentucky's strategy for reforming the state standards for introductory Spanish second language instruction. They begin with a course description outlining the shift in orientation from grammar instruction to development of communicative competence. A subsequent section suggests ways in which the teacher might identify…

Wisconsin's Department of Public Instruction, in collaboration with Wisconsin citizens, developed academic standards in 12 curricular areas. The health education standards go beyond emphasizing mastery of individual student areas--they weave four essential characteristics of health-literate individuals throughout: critical thinking and problem…