Within the educational reform debate, there is general agreement that the development of high academic standards is an important first step toward improving academic outcomes. This report highlights the standards initiatives being implemented in Colorado, Delaware, Minnesota, and South Carolina. All four states have made substantial progress in…

As the 21st century approaches, more students than ever need to be educated to higher levels so that they can: (1) compete successfully in the increasingly technological job market; (2) participate in the democratic system; and (3) develop strong moral and ethical values and the ability to reach their individual potentials. The new Program Quality…

"Achieve" is an independent, nongovernmental organization that was created out of the March 1996 National Education Summit. The summit was convened by the National Governors' Association and the International Business Machines (IBM) Corporation. Achieve's goal is to sustain the momentum generated at the national summit and to support…

An increasing number of schools and businesses are entering into more collaborative partnerships focusing on frequent classroom interactions centered around active learning. The "Authentic Assessment Project" was developed by the Science and Mathematics Network of Central Ohio to assist teachers and business partners in designing innovative…

This paper describes the status of the standards movement in relation to the middle grades and in terms of the policy context of the 1990s. It also outlines the potential of standards-guided reform at the middle level. By the early years of the 1990s, two key assumptions characterized the new wave of proposed reforms: that schools needed to…

The use of performance assessment for instruction and accountability and the support for its use provided by the school district were studied in three suburban school districts in Colorado, New York, and Illinois. Two were elementary and secondary districts, but the Illinois district was a high school district. All three districts have employed…

The purpose of this paper is to determine the extent of major structural differences in European higher education and to analyze a number of recent developments within this institutional framework. One of the major changes occurring in European universities since their beginnings in Bologna and Paris has been the elevation of the research function…

In 1988 the Education Reform Act was passed in England. Among its clauses, the one that laid the framework for a centralized, national curriculum represented the most significant change. One of the key aspects of the national curriculum concerned the way in which student achievement and progress were to be measured. Attainment was to be assessed…

This paper highlights three models for implementing local restructuring of schools: James Comer's School Development Program; Robert Slavin's Success for All; and Henry Levin's Accelerated Schools. These models have been among the more popular models for restructuring schools in poor, predominantly minority neighborhoods with traditionally…

Portfolios are useful in developing a personal set of rules for good communication and for reflecting on one's performance over time. As a purposeful, interrelated collection of student work the portfolio shows student efforts, progress, and self-reflection. The article uses storytelling as a metaphor to show what portfolios are and what they can…

In a previous paper the authors presented a model of assessing portfolios, the Cognitive Model for Assessing Portfolios (CMAP), as a lens to view, think about, and make decisions about portfolio projects. Two projects in which the CMAP has been used are described. One is an authentic assessment project in mathematics and science by the Educational…

An evaluation was conducted of a summer institute on assessment in adult literacy held at the University of Pittsburgh. The summer institute was designed to enable program administrators and instructors to hear experts in the field of adult assessment discuss, in depth, the issues that are common to all adult literacy providers. Participants had…

This paper provides a historical perspective on the implementation of educational reform by the Thatcher government in England. Since 1979, and particularly since the Education Reform Act of 1988, the state educational system in England has undergone massive reform in the form of a national curriculum, increased school-based management, and the…

This guide is designed to increase a school's productivity by presenting some simple yet powerful techniques for looking at the school and making decisions to address the most immediate problems. Tracking success is tracking progress and using evaluation as a tool for implementing changes from school-based management to complete restructuring.…

Various issues in determining the effectiveness of educational services for gifted students are considered in this chapter. First, the limitations of standardized instruments are identified. These include narrowness of assessment (usually only across traditional curricular areas), invalidity in assessing program goals (which may not correspond to…