Bibliography: Common Core State Standards (page 107 of 130)

This annotated bibliography is reformatted and customized by the Center for Positive Practices.  Some of the authors featured on this page include Kathryn Struthers, Meghan M. Shaughnessy, Kadian M. Callahan, Office of Community College Research and Leadership, Amy Benjamin, Deborah E. Seacrest, Christine Coleman Parker, Roy V. Miller, Linda Dacey, and Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University (NJ1).

Polikoff, Morgan S.; Struthers, Kathryn (2013). Changes in the Cognitive Complexity of English Instruction: The Moderating Effects of School and Classroom Characteristics, Teachers College Record. Background/Context: A central aim of standards-based reform is to close achievement gaps by raising academic standards for all students. Rigorous standards coupled with aligned assessments will purportedly improve student opportunity to learn through high-quality, aligned instruction. After 10 years of No Child Left Behind (NCLB), the impact of standards-based reform on student achievement in English Language Arts (ELA) remains questionable. Improving ELA achievement has been a central focus of NCLB, so this study examines changes in the cognitive demand coverage of teachers' ELA instruction over time during the NCLB era. Research Question: Three research questions guide the analyses: (a) How have the cognitive demand levels of ELA instruction changed over time? (b) To what extent have changes in the cognitive demand level of ELA instruction differed across settings based on school and classroom characteristics? (c) How have cognitive demand levels changed as school composition has changed? Subjects: The sample consists of 2,064 ELA teachers in grades K-12. The teachers come from 344 schools in 15 states; the majority are K-3 educators. Research Design: This study relies on secondary data analysis of teachers' responses to the Surveys of Enacted Curriculum (SEC). First, we used a within-teacher fixed-effects regression model to determine how cognitive demand coverage changed over time. Second, we examined how these changes varied by school and classroom characteristics (e.g., Title 1 status). Finally, we investigated how changes in cognitive demand coverage varied based on within-school changes in school and classroom characteristics. Findings: Findings demonstrate that cognitive demand coverage has changed considerably over the study period, moving from higher and lower levels toward the middle. There were, however, notable variations between schools serving different populations of students. Schools in urban areas serving predominantly students from historically marginalized groups (e.g., racial/ethnic minorities) saw more of a shift toward lower levels of cognitive demand than was seen at schools serving whiter and wealthier students. Conclusions/Recommendations: There have been different instructional responses to standards and assessments in different settings, with decreased cognitive demand in urban/high-needs schools relative to suburban/lower-needs schools. These shifts seem to run contrary to the idea that all students should be held to the same high standards. We recommend that future research consider longitudinal data regarding teachers' instruction. It is also important that policymakers, particularly those working on the Common Core State Standards, consider these differential responses to standards-based reform.   [More]  Descriptors: English Instruction, Difficulty Level, Cognitive Processes, Educational Legislation

Parker, Christine Coleman (2011). An Investigation of Differentiated Instruction: Closing the Achievement Gap for Elementary English Language Learners, ProQuest LLC. The current literature indicates a need for quality studies on how best to close the achievement gap between elementary English language learners (ELLs) and their English speaking peers. The purpose of this sequential explanatory mixed methods research study was to determine the relationship between standards-based differentiated instructional (DI) strategies and the literacy achievement of ELLs and how knowledgeable are teachers in implementing differentiated instruction to support ELLs. Quantitative Phase One involved collecting and analyzing data from these sources: (a) literacy ELL Georgia Criterion-Referenced Competency test data for grades 3, 4, and 5, from 2004 through 2009, (b) data from teacher observation, and (c) self-reported responses from a teacher survey. Qualitative Phase Two involved a focus group discussion and an examination of data collected from Phase One that was subsequently coded into themes surrounding differentiated instructional practices. The setting for the study was a culturally diverse southeastern metropolitan public school district. The population consisted of the NCLB Adequate Yearly Progress ELL subgroup from five Title I elementary schools in grades 3,4, and 5 and grades 3, 4, and 5 teachers trained in differentiated instruction that worked with ELLs during the intervention years. The quantitative student performance data showed that DI intervention significantly affected the literacy achievement of ELLs. The qualitative data provided voice to additional data collected from the quantitative teacher survey and classroom observations. The benefits of the study inform (a) teachers, (b) local district and school administrators, and (c) policymakers about the how of implementing differentiated instruction, especially as states choose to adopt the new Common Core State Standards Initiatives.   [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: www.proquest.com/en-US/products/disserta…   [More]  Descriptors: Achievement Gap, Methods Research, Group Discussion, Intervention

Office of Community College Research and Leadership (2011). Pathways to Results: Project Profile Compendium. Finding the best ways for students to learn and achieve success is of paramount importance to the state and the nation. More than ever before, college and career readiness is critical to the nation's economy, with college completion being an integral objective to achieving this goal. Illinois is committed to the Common Core State Standards, striving to better align Pre-K-12 curricula with higher education and the workforce. Further, President Obama's administration and numerous groups (e.g., Complete College America, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Lumina Foundation for Education) are raising college completion to a national priority. Illinois is stepping up, with state and local leaders improving programs and helping learners to succeed. Illinois' Programs of Study initiative is key to achieving this crucial goal. Uniquely important to integrating and aligning curriculum and instruction, Programs of Study help all students–from young people attending K-12 education to adults entering and reentering the educational system–to transition to college ready to learn and to complete college prepared for rewarding careers. This Compendium shows how secondary schools, community colleges, four-year colleges and universities, adult education providers, businesses and industries, and other organizations are collaborating to improve Programs of Study through a new initiative called Pathways to Results (PTR). Through the leadership of Partnerships for College and Career Success (PCCS) and other partner organizations, the PTR projects described in this document show how local teams are using an inquiry-based and equity-guided process to prepare diverse learners for learning and life.   [More]  Descriptors: Elementary Secondary Education, Articulation (Education), Postsecondary Education, College Readiness

Collins, Anne; Dacey, Linda (2011). The Xs and Whys of Algebra: Key Ideas and Common Misconceptions, Stenhouse Publishers. In many ways, algebra can be as challenging for teachers as it is for students. With so much emphasis placed on procedural knowledge and the manipulations of variables and symbols, it can be easy to lose sight of the key ideas that underlie algebraic thinking and the relevance algebra has to the real world. In the The Xs and Whys of Algebra: Key Ideas and Common Misconceptions, Anne Collins and Linda Dacey provide a set of thirty research-based modules designed to engage all students in mathematical learning that develops conceptual understanding, addresses common misconceptions, and builds key ideas that are essential to future learning. For use in seventh- to ninth-grade courses focused on an introduction to formal algebra, this flipchart emphasizes five essential algebraic concepts: using variables meaningfully; using multiple representations for expressions; connecting algebra with number; connecting algebra with geometry; and manipulating symbols with understanding. The thirty research-based modules in this spiral-bound flipchart are designed to engage all students in mathematical learning that develops conceptual understanding, addresses common misconceptions, and builds key ideas essential to future learning. Following the recommendations of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the Common Core State Standards, the modules at this level are organized into three sections: Expressions, Equations, and Functions. Each module begins with the identification of its mathematical focus and the potential challenges and misconceptions associated with those ideas. The "In the Classroom" section then suggests instructional strategies and specific activities to implement with students. The "Meeting Individual Needs" section offers ideas for adjusting the activities to reach a broader range of learners. All modules are supported by one or more reproducibles (located in the appendix), and the "References/Further Reading" section provides resources for enriching your knowledge of the topic and gathering more ideas. Teachers will want to keep this resource next to their plan book so they will have these ideas at their fingertips throughout the year.   [More]  Descriptors: Educational Strategies, Symbols (Mathematics), Mathematics Teachers, Algebra

Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University (NJ1) (2011). Straight Talk on Teaching Quality: Six Game-Changing Ideas and What to Do about Them. If asked about the hottest topic or most talked-about players in American public education today, pretty much everyone's answer–from parents to policymakers to pundits–would include the words "teachers" or "teaching." From both intuition and experience, individuals know that good teaching matters. This has been true for a very long time. Yet it is reasonable to wonder why the drumbeat about teaching quality seems especially loud these days. Maybe it's because the evidence base about the link between the quality of teaching and the achievement of students has gotten a lot stronger over the last fifteen years. It could also be because federal education policy under the previous and current presidents has tied both regulations and dollars to definitions of "highly qualified" teachers and, most recently, to measuring teachers' contributions to their students' learning. And a growing focus on college and career readiness, emphasized in the Common Core State Standards and by reformers as a measure of educational excellence, has underscored how critical teachers are in ensuring that all students have the skills to succeed in their postsecondary lives. The Annenberg Institute for School Reform has worked for nearly two decades with school districts, researchers, parents, and community members and comes to the teaching quality agenda with different perspectives in mind. This paper describes six strategies that both the Annenberg Institute's own experience and its survey of the field have shown to be powerful supports for the quality of instruction. For each strategy, this paper outlines the problem to be addressed; what needs to happen to address the problem; examples of organizations and sites that are implementing the strategy effectively; what readers can ask about and advocate for in their own school communities; and a short list of resources where readers can learn more.   [More]  Descriptors: Teacher Effectiveness, State Standards, Educational Quality, Educational Change

Davis-Wiley, Patricia; Miller, Roy V. (2013). Math Literacy through French Language Learning: Connecting with the Common Core in the Lower Elementary Grades, Learning Languages. Among the reported proven positive results of early world Language (WL) study are improved cognitive abilities and "higher achievement test scores in reading and math" (Stewart: 11), which are expected student performance outcomes for the Common Core Standards. The future viability of Foreign Language in Elementary Schools (FLES) programs, however, is fragile at best, in today's educational arena. FLES programs that have essentially concentrated their student performance expectations on basic communication skills and cultural content in the target language may therefore need to include a content-enriched STEM focus in order to seek and establish a viable presence in the elementary school curriculum. The authors of this paper suggest that proponents of FLES integration into the nation's schools need to identify disciplinary literacy as the common denominator connecting WL study and the other content subjects such as math, given the fact that, "disciplinary literacy is embedded in the [Common Core] standards, and prominently featured in the new CCSS [Common Core State Standards]." Current national trends inspired the authors of this paper to conduct the present research study that involved teaching math through French in grades 2-4 in a small, urban, community-based, highly-diverse elementary school in Knoxville, TN. (Zygouis-Coe: 35). The authors of the present article sought to investigate the following questions: (1) What is the impact of content-enriched French instruction on math skills in Grades 2-4 in a specifically math-enriched FLES program? (2) What is the level of student participation and interest during French instruction compared with regular math instruction? (3) What are the regular classroom teachers' perceptions of the impact of French instruction on the children? The results of this study help support the notion that FLES programs should be considered a core subject along with the traditional math, science, social science, language arts elementary school curricular litany so that they can serve as the Common Core Standards glue in connecting literacy across all content areas.   [More]   [More]  Descriptors: French, Second Language Learning, Second Language Instruction, Mathematics Instruction

Benjamin, Amy (2011). Math in Plain English: Literacy Strategies for the Mathematics Classroom, Eye on Education. Do word problems and math vocabulary confuse students in your mathematics classes? Do simple keywords like "value" and "portion" seem to mislead them? Many words that students already know can have a different meaning in mathematics. To grasp that difference, students need to connect English literacy skills to math. Successful students speak, read, write, and listen to each other so they can understand, retain, and apply mathematics concepts. This book explains how to use 10 classroom-ready literacy strategies in concert with your mathematics instruction. You'll learn how to develop students who are able to explain to themselves–and communicate to others–what problems mean and how to attack them. Embedding these strategies in your instruction will help your students gain the literacy skills required to achieve the eight Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. You'll discover the best answer to their question, "When am I ever going to use this?" The 10 Strategies: (1) Teaching mathematical words explicitly; (2) Teaching academic words implicitly; (3) Reinforcing reading comprehension skills that apply to mathematics; (4) Teaching mathematics with metaphor and gesture; (5) Unlocking the meaning of word problems; (6) Teaching note-taking skills for mathematics; (7) Using language-based formative assessment in mathematics; (8) Connecting memorization to meaning in mathematics; (9) Incorporating writing-to-learn activities in mathematics; and (10) Preparing students for algebraic thinking. Appended are: (1) Word Components Commonly Seen in Math Language: Or Words Have Cousins? (2) Making Connections in Vocabulary. Works Cited are also included.   [More]  Descriptors: Reading Comprehension, Formative Evaluation, Nonverbal Communication, Figurative Language

Shaughnessy, Meghan M. (2011). Identify Fractions and Decimals on a Number Line, Teaching Children Mathematics. Tasks that ask students to label rational number points on a number line are common not only in curricula in the upper elementary school grades but also on state assessments. Such tasks target foundational rational number concepts: A fraction (or a decimal) is more than a shaded part of an area, a part of a pizza, or a representation using base-ten blocks; a fraction (or a decimal) is also a number with a specific location on a number line. These concepts are described as core content in "Curriculum Focal Points" (NCTM 2006) and in the Common Core State Standards (2010). To explore the nature of students' difficulties when labeling rational number points on a number line, the author interviewed students in an urban school district in Northern California. The protocol she designed included a series of number line tasks asking students to label marked points on a number line as fractions and decimals. More students appropriately labeled points on the number line as decimals than as fractions, and more students appropriately labeled points when the interval from zero to one was equally partitioned than when the interval was unequally partitioned. An analysis of students' incorrect answers and their verbal reasoning revealed four common error types characterizing' incorrect answers: (1) Using unconventional notation; (2) Redefining the unit; (3) A two-count strategy focusing on discrete tick marks (or parts) rather than distances; and (4) A one-count strategy focusing on discrete tick marks (or parts) rather than distances. Instructional implications of this study are discussed.   [More]  Descriptors: Mathematics Instruction, Elementary School Mathematics, Numbers, Number Concepts

Dacey, Linda; Collins, Anne (2011). Zeroing in on Number and Operations, Pre-K-K: Key Ideas and Common Misconceptions, Stenhouse Publishers. "The Zeroing in on Number and Operations" series, which aligns with the Common Core State Standards and the NCTM Standards on Focal Points, features easy-to-use tools for teaching key concepts in number and operations and for addressing common misconceptions. Sharing the insights they've gained through decades of mathematics teaching and research, Linda Dacey and Anne Collins help teachers focus on what students really need to know and understand at each grade level. The modules for Grades Pre-K-K are organized into three sections: Numbers, Relationships, and Addition and Subtraction. Each module begins with the identification of its mathematical focus and the potential challenges and misconceptions associated with those ideas. In the Classroom then suggests instructional strategies and specific activities to implement with students. Meeting Individual Needs offers ideas for adjusting the activities to reach a broader range of learners. Most activities are supported by a reproducible (located in the appendix), and References/Further Reading provides resources for enriching teachers' knowledge of the topic and gathering more ideas. At grades Pre-K and K, the authors focus on the key ideas that are essential for success at these levels: (1) counting by rote, that is, saying the sequence of counting numbers in order; (2) counting rationally (with one-to-one correspondence and cardinality); (3) subitizing, or recognizing sets; (4) counting by tens and ones; (5) making connections among representations of number; (6) comparing and ordering sets and numbers; (7) composing and decomposing numbers; (8) modeling addition as the joining of sets; and (9) modeling subtraction as the separating of a set.   [More]  Descriptors: Misconceptions, Academic Standards, Mathematics Instruction, Mathematical Concepts

Callahan, Kadian M. (2011). Listening Responsively, Teaching Children Mathematics. Standards documents, such as the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics and "Principles and Standards for School Mathematics", expect teachers to foster mathematics learning by engaging students in meaningful mathematical discourse to expose students to different ways of thinking about and solving problems and positively influence their problem-solving abilities, reasoning skills, and thinking processes. However, merely getting students to talk in math class is not enough to assure that learning will occur; once teachers get students to express their ideas, they must decide what to do with those ideas. Teachers' follow-up moves, such as evaluating, rebroadcasting, acknowledging, or making a related statement or question, will shape "the nature and flow of classroom discussions and the cognitive opportunities afforded to students". Thus, engaging students in meaningful mathematical discourse can be rather daunting because it requires teachers to make careful pedagogical choices and spontaneous decisions in the midst of the instructional process; and when students' ideas are considered, it can be difficult to predict and manage the direction of instruction. Nevertheless, a teacher's ability to listen effectively and respond appropriately to students' thinking has been shown to play a critical role in effective mathematics instruction. This article describes mathematical discourse that occurred over a two-week period during face-to-face class meetings and on an asynchronous, online discussion board (using Blackboard) and a teacher educator's efforts to listen and be responsive to preservice teachers' (PSTs) ideas about mathematics. The mathematical goal for the unit was to help the PSTs realize that the perimeter and area of different polygons are not always directly related. The course was structured such that the twenty-six female PSTs could earn participation points for engaging in in-class discussions or contributing to online discussions. Thus, the online discussion boards furnished an alternative for PSTs who may have been uncomfortable articulating their ideas during in-class discussions to still express the sense they were making of the mathematics.   [More]  Descriptors: Preservice Teachers, Mathematics Education, State Standards, Cognitive Processes

Seacrest, Deborah E. (2011). Children's Voices: Students' Attitudes about Routine and Nonroutine Mathematics, ProQuest LLC. This dissertation is a case study focused on the question, "What are students' attitudes toward school mathematics and toward nonroutine math problems and mathematical games?" It addresses the definitions of some of those terms and then moves on to a literature review that suggests that some change in the curriculum may be needed. In an attempt to begin determining whether nonroutine problems and mathematical games could help, students in two different types of classes were introduced to such problems and games. Their attitudes were assessed using a variety of methods, including observation, interview, and journal writing.   The games and problems used in the classes are explained, along with students' reactions to them. Overall, students reacted very favorably to the activities. Future work may determine how much students learn from the activities and whether the students are able to apply that knowledge to the mathematics more commonly taught in schools. In the interviews, three of the students discussed the difference between the summer class and "actual math," so they may see no immediate connection between nonroutine problems, including games, and the mathematics they learned in a more traditional manner.   A connection is made to the Common Core State Standards Initiative, and the Standards for Mathematical Practice are analyzed. The activities done in the summer classes addressed standards at a variety of grade levels, but the focus is on the eight standards for practice. Finally, some conclusions are drawn about what students appeared to learn in the two classes, and some comments are made concerning future work.   [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: www.proquest.com/en-US/products/disserta…   [More]  Descriptors: Student Attitudes, State Standards, Mathematics Instruction, Case Studies

Tienken, Christopher H. (2011). Pay for Performance: Whose Performance?, Kappa Delta Pi Record. Education reform proposals are not in short supply. Recent issues of the "Kappa Delta Pi Record" examined two of these: Common Core State Standards (Winter 2011) and Charter Schools (Spring 2011). Teacher pay for performance is another policy gaining traction in state legislatures and at the federal level. The Race to the Top (RTTT) federal grant proposal requires states to link the evaluations and pay of school administrators and teachers to student performance. In response to the myopic focus placed on test scores by state education officials, school district leaders, in some cases, have resorted to test-gaming practices. Among these are holding back low-achieving students instead of promoting them into a grade level with an important mandated test, and counseling large numbers of students to drop out and pursue a GED prior to a high school exit exam. In some school districts, the results from state standardized tests provide little real information about student learning. The results are skewed because they are produced through intensive test preparation, lax truancy enforcement during testing cycles, yearly changes to state proficiency cut points, increased dropout rates in urban areas, moving and shifting of students among schools so their scores do not count, dis-enrolling students at test time, and other practices that have little to do with quality education practices, but have been known to raise aggregate test scores. The author suggests that educators and policy makers who support pay for performance need to step back, slow down, ask more questions, and not accept the superficial answers coming from governors, state legislators, and others who neither understand the statistical intricacies nor care to learn.   [More]  Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Exit Examinations, Educational Quality, Standardized Tests

Wilms, Ulrich Heinz (2011). Comparative Study of the National Math Curriculum with Curricula from Four Nations, ProQuest LLC. The formation of the Common Core State Standards can be regarded as the predecessor of a national curriculum. This research addresses how the proposed national math curriculum compares to the math curricula of a sample of peer-nations (Singapore, Netherlands, Germany, and Japan) with high student achievement rates in math, while relating the math curricula to the basic philosophic ideas of Dewey, Piaget, and Vygotsky. The research indicated that the rigor and depth of the elementary math curriculum under the CCSS is in line with the elementary curricula of the peer-nations, yet the secondary math curriculum differs: whereas the CCSS expects all of the students to master a highly rigorous uniform secondary math curriculum, the peer nations of this research track their students according to aptitude and offer up to 12 different levels of math. In order to increase math achievement the presentation of math, using qualified math teachers in elementary school, may need improvement. Grading may have to be de-emphasized and replaced with detailed feedback, specific to individual work. A primary focus should be placed on appreciation and confidence. A flexible, efficient and equitable tracking system at the secondary level may be a feasible tool to increase the performance of high achieving students, while reducing drop-out rates for low achieving students. The introduction of vocational tracks, using a pragmatic math approach, can offer relevance, interest, and fulfillment. The system of math support classes for underperforming students should be moved from the high school level to the upper elementary school level. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: www.proquest.com/en-US/products/disserta…   [More]  Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Elementary School Mathematics, Secondary School Mathematics, National Curriculum

US Department of Education (2011). Western Region: A Report Identifying and Addressing the Educational Needs. During a four-week period (May 23, 2011-June 21, 2011), the Western Regional Advisory Committee (RAC) held a series of public meetings to solicit input and deliberate on key educational needs facing the four states in the region–Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah. A two-day, face-to-face, public meeting was held May 23-24, 2011 in Arlington, Virginia. This was followed by webinars on June 14, 2011 and June 21, 2011. Through these face-to-face and virtual meetings, the Western RAC identified six priority educational needs facing the region and outlined a series of 37 strategies that could be used to meet those needs. The region's six educational needs, as identified by the Western RAC, are: (1) Closing the Achievement Gap; (2) Promoting Effective Instruction; (3) Implementing Common Core State Standards; (4) Building Collaborative Governance and Restructuring Financial Formulas; (5) Improving School Safety, Culture, and Climate; and (6) Preparing for College and Career Readiness. To solicit feedback regarding these needs, the Western RAC developed an outreach plan whereby each committee member sent a standard e-mail to key constituents, directing them to the Western RAC website to post comments regarding the region's education needs. Attached to the e-mail was a one-page needs summary. The outreach plan elicited 38 comments on the RAC website. These comments were used by the committee as it worked to refine the needs and identify strategies for meeting them. This report represents the regional needs assessment of the Regional Advisory Committee for the Western region, which includes Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah. Appended are: (1) Western Region Educational Profile; (2) Summary of Identified Needs; and (3) Western RAC Website Comments.   [More]  Descriptors: Achievement Gap, State Standards, Advisory Committees, Needs Assessment

Braun, Henry (2011). Can Road Maps Tell Us Whether We Are off Course?, Measurement: Interdisciplinary Research and Perspectives. The focus article "Road Maps for Learning: A Guide to the Navigation of Learning Progressions" by Black, Wilson, and Yao (this issue) is a veritable tour-de-force, covering a great deal of education ground while spanning the heights from models of the interplay among curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment to interpretations of student responses to questions related to changes of state of matter. The article offers a compelling diagnosis of the difficulties evident in many classrooms and a strategy for alleviating them. The author proposes to employ the arguments contained in this article as a lens through which to view a current reform initiative of great moment, namely, the development of two multi-state assessment systems funded by the U.S. Department of Education under the Race to the Top program. If the development efforts are successful and if the systems are adopted by most of the member states in the two consortia, the impact on the nation's classrooms will likely be very great, as is the intention. The pressing question is whether this will be mainly for good or for ill. The two consortia, Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Career (PARCC) and the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC), are charged with developing assessments in mathematics and English language arts for grades 3 through 8 and for grade 11. Both assessment systems are supposed to fully reflect the Common Core State Standards for these subjects. The standards are the product of an intensive development process. They have generally been well received and have been adopted by nearly all states. The hope is that the combination of rigorous, developmentally grounded standards and aligned assessments embedded in a test-based accountability system will result, over time, in substantial improvements in academic achievement by driving change at every level of the education system.   [More]  Descriptors: State Standards, Educational Change, Consortia, Accountability

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