Steps that states, schools, and colleges should take to prepare students to meet higher college standards are identified, with a focus on two points: developing higher and clearer college entry standards and developing statewide assessments to identify high school students who need additional preparation. Eight suggestions are offered: (1) states…

This paper argues that under the influence of neoliberalism the role of schooling has been narrowly redefined as helping students to gain the knowledge and skills to "get a job". Drawing on the recent policy pronouncements of the new Rudd Labor Government in Australia, the paper examines how the advocates of human capital theory have…

The world outside of schools has changed four to five times faster than the world inside. Students live in a technological, information-based society that is increasingly driven by global competition. Students in other countries score better in applied knowledge than do U.S. students. (MLF)

In seeking the most effective presentation of the liberal arts in curricula such as the heavily technical and professional curricula at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, which leave little room for general education, general education course design must capture the imagination of students and motivate them for continuing self-education. Development of…

Schools connect students with peers and mentors, channel youthful energy into productive pursuits, teach essential academic skills and knowledge, and give overwhelmed parents room to breathe and work. Adapting to the challenges of COVID-19 gives America's schools the opportunity to provide what is uniquely possible in the schoolhouse while seeking…

Accountability in two-year college vocational education assumes that colleges have knowledge of students' goals while they are attending college and have the capacity to follow-up on students to determine whether those goals were achieved. One measure of goal achievement is employment or further enrollment in fields in which students have been…

Vocational education must be accessible to all students because it has inherent value to a large spectrum of students in secondary schools, not just to those who are majoring in a vocational area. It is a natural setting for the integration of mathematics, science, social studies, economics, communications, and environmental studies; it is also a…

This document presents recommendations for Colorado state teacher education policy additions and changes based on a review of existing policies and in light of current changes in the professional education field. The recommendations are: (1) do not reinstate undergraduate degrees in education; (2) accept interdisciplinary majors for teacher…

The admissions process at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), freshmen year courses, and the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) are discussed. MIT's admissions criteria include the College Board Achievement Test, Scholastic Aptitude Test scores, high school transcripts, essay replies by applicants, letters of…

Project 2061 is a three-phase plan of action designed to contribute to the reform of science, mathematics, and technology education. Phase I was to establish a conceptual base for reform by spelling out the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that all students should acquire as a result of their experiences from kindergarten through high school.…

Curriculum touches all members of a school's community. It is not surprising that something of great importance is influenced by many groups. At this crutial time, school boards should define their role in curriculum and encourage positive change based on sound decisions regarding what knowledge, skills, competencies, attitudes, and values…

The Council on School Performance Standards, appointed in February of 1989 by the Governor of Kentucky, was charged with finding out what students in Kentucky should know and be able to do, and with determining the best ways to assess student learning. The Council met with six groups: community leaders; employers; parents; school administrators;…

This prospectus describes the U.S. Department of Education's legislative proposal for the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), as reflected in two bills: H.R. 1986 and S. 1075. The report outlines the purposes of IDEA and its positive impact. The report then presents six principles of the Department's vision…

This paper presents the position of the Organization of History Teachers (OHT) regarding the development of national history standards by the National Standards Project. The OHT position suggests that the Project should recognize that standards aiming for excellence in precollege history teaching require changes in the education of teachers, the…

The role of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) and the involvement of its members in the education of young people are addressed in this brief to the Special Senate Committee on Youth. Enrollment data for 1950-1984 are presented for full- and part-time undergraduate and graduate students, and the percentages of women for…