ERIC Number: ED438122
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1996-Dec
Pages: 11
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Trends and Issues Affecting Primary and Secondary Education.
Sexton, Robert F.; Clements, Stephen K.
While school reform has already dramatically altered the culture of education in Kentucky, the future holds daunting challenges. This chapter examines a few of the most difficult changes being implemented as a result of the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA), as well as conditions external to schools that markedly influence educational success. One KERA reform--the Kentucky Instructional Results Information System (KIRIS)--is a true "high stakes" accountability system, meant to drive instruction and curriculum and form the basis for rewards and sanctions. However, scholarly reviews of KIRIS have revealed reliability problems, and little is known about whether financial incentives to educators will actually improve student learning. Other KERA reforms in progress are the setting of rigorous academic standards, which require development of parallel curricula and a change in the way Kentuckians think about schools as institutions, and the creation of site-based decision-making councils that give teachers, parents, and administrators authority over key education matters. Other factors influencing the future of education are trends in teacher demographics and professional development, budgetary problems and educational funding needs, the aging of the population, and child welfare conditions. (SV)
Publication Type: Opinion Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Kentucky
Identifiers - Laws, Policies, & Programs: Kentucky Education Reform Act 1990
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A