New Standards Project is consortium of 17 states and 6 leading school districts working with cluster of specialists to design and implement system of performance standards, authentic assessments, and professional development aimed at improving educational equity and excellence. New matrix examinations and portfolios will yield results that can be…

After visiting 30 inner-city schools in New York City, Chicago, San Antonio, Ohio, and New Jersey, the acclaimed author of "Death at an Early Age" concludes that public schools remain more separate and unequal than they were 27 years ago. Instead of embracing vouchers for school choice, we should support and fund genuine equality for all…

After a funding-equity victory, there is no guarantee that districts will adopt effective programs to improve student achievement. Programs with the greatest payoff for disadvantaged students include early-childhood programs, one-on-one tutoring, Success for All, James Comer's School Development Program, and extensive staff development. (38…

Examines development of the equalization idea in American public education, discusses theorists' applications of equalization to school finance, reviews the literature on school-finance reform-litigation effects, and concludes that U.S. history has not strongly supported equalization of educational opportunities. Education is not a fundamental…

Tests should be used by educators to help students of different backgrounds and abilities achieve their full potential. The goals of guaranteeing excellence via promotion of high academic standards and ensuring equal educational opportunities are inseparable, mutually dependent goals. State reform efforts and fairness issues are examined. (MLH)

Per-pupil property valuation extremes among Colorado school districts are as varied as the landscape. A foundation plan levels funding disparities for school operations, but financing of major capital outlay projects still depends on local property taxation. Funds are needed to finance classroom technologies and Internet connections. (MLH)

This publication brings together much of the information one might need to develop a broad understanding of how public and private higher education institutions serve the people of Washington and about the important role higher education plays in developing the state's society, economy, and future. The most often-asked questions about…

This paper provides a glimpse of the current picture of education in rural Scotland. Scotland has many small schools, and not all of these are in geographically isolated areas. Although Scotland's population has decreased in the past 20 years, the decline has been mostly in urban areas. Remote areas are becoming more cosmopolitan as highly…

The 1954 Supreme Court decision in the case of "Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas" provided the legal basis for equal educational opportunity. More than 40 years after the decision, equal opportunity, equal access, and affirmative action remain issues of intense debate. This book offers essays by 23 prominent voices in…

This document presents arguments to counter nine criticisms, or "lies," most frequently leveled at school choice. The criticisms include the following: (1) the undermining America argument: Choice will destroy the American public school tradition; (2) the creaming argument: Choice will leave the poor behind in the worst schools; (3) the…

The Educational Priorities Panel undertook a study to find out how funds are distributed among community school districts in New York (New York) and how resources are distributed to individual schools within the system. For the first time, in 1992, the New York City Board of Education published detailed budgets for the 32 community school…

A recent court case, Sheff vs. O'Neill has centered Connecticut's attention on the fact that its public schools are largely segregated by race/ethnicity (80% of the state's minority student population are clustered in 18 of 166 school districts while 140 others are more than 90% white). This paper discusses financing the cost of higher standards…

A literature review examines research and reports on school and school district size as they relate to educational quality and finance. Sections cover: (1) research on the relationships of size to course offerings, teacher qualifications, student achievement, student behavior, student participation, and school climate; (2) state level reports…

During the 1990s, Kentucky has undergone an extensive educational renaissance guided by three milestones: enactment of the 1990 Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA); creation of the nation's first Workforce Development Cabinet; and development of the Kentucky Strategic Plan for Higher Education in Kentucky. This report to President Bush describes…

The RAND Institute on Education and Training has undertaken an analysis of Federal policy options to improve education in low-income areas. Volumes I and II, separately published, have assessed the current Chapter I program and presented a strategy for reformulating the program with commentaries by invited contributors. This volume assesses…