From the August 8, 1996 Daily Report Card:
-> *4   MARCH OF PROGRESS:  A REPORT ON THE STANDARDS MOVEMENT
->    The American Federation of Teachers this week issued its
-> second annual "Making Standards Matter" report, a 50-state
-> examination of efforts to develop student learning standards.
-> "There's a lot of promising activity on standards, but quality
-> remains a problem," said AFT President Albert Shanker.  He added that
-> most standards "are not specific enough or sufficiently
-> based on academic content to be useful."
->    The report analyzes state standards according to the AFT's
-> criteria for high quality standards.  The criteria include:  Are
-> standards based in the four core academic subjects (English,
-> math, science, social studies?  Are they clear and specific
-> enough to provide the basis for a core curriculum?  Are they
-> benchmarked against exemplary standards from other countries?
-> Will standards be linked to assessments for students?  Will there be
-> stakes for students attached to meeting standards?
->    Findings from the report include:  states are committed to
-> improving academic standards and basing them on the core academic
-> subjects; most state standards are still not clear and specific
-> enough or adequately grounded in subject-matter content to form the
-> basis for a core curriculum; most states realize that high- quality
-> standards should compare with the best in the world, but only a few
-> have looked at student standards in other countries
-> and none has done a thorough job of international benchmarking;
-> forty-two states are developing student assessments linked to
-> standards, but the insufficient attention to academic content
-> means that these assessments will rest on a weak foundation; and less
-> than half the states plan to make their standards "count"
-> for students by linking them to promotion or graduation.
->    The report noted that nine states -- Ohio, Va., W.V., Fla.,
-> Ind., Del., Mass., Calif. and D.C. -- have standards in one or
-> more subjects that the AFT deems exemplary for their clarity,
-> specificity and grounding in academic content.
->    Several recommendations are attached to the report,
-> including the creation of a national research institute that
-> would translate materials from overseas and help states benchmark
-> their standards to the best in the world.
->    Copies of the report, "Making Standards Matter" (Item # 265)
-> are available for $10 from the AFT; Public Affairs Department;
-> 555 New Jersey Avenue NW; Washington, D.C.  20001; 202/879-4458.
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