CURRICULUM | STANDARDS
Webster defines curriculum as "the courses offered by an educational institution," or "a set of courses constituting an area of specialization." There are many different curriculums to choose from in the world of education. Some methods and programs work better than others for large groups of children, and some are tailored to meet the needs of specific student populations.
Following are some publications and organizations that specialize in issues related to curriculum. We will continue to add content, so come back again soon.
PUBLICATIONS
Common Education Standards: Tackling the long-term questions
Background Papers | Thomas B. Fordham Institute | June 2010
The "common core" state standards for grades K-12 have been released. Some states have already adopted them. Others are considering this step. Much will need to happen if these standards and related assessments are to get traction in American education over the next few years. But we at the Fordham Institute are looking even further ahead: we’re considering the issues that will determine the long-term viability of this endeavor. Simply stated: in 2020, who will be in charge of the common standards-and-testing effort? How will this work? Who will pay for it? To spur discussion and smart thinking about these crucial issues, we commissioned a set of background papers from authoritative observers and analysts. Read on to find out what they have to say.
National Education Standards: Hopeful Change or Hollow Promise? With the Common Core State Standards Initiative likely to release the final version of its English and mathematics standards in early June, and states having to decide whether or not to adopt them, a crucial question has been neglected in the public policy debate: Is there good reason to believe that national standards will improve educational outcomes? Please join us for a discussion of the logic behind, and evidence on, national education standards, at this pivotal moment in the history of American education.
Policy Forum (Video) | Cato Institute | June 2, 2010
Common Core Standards
Academic Standards | National Governors' Association | June 2010
Mission statement: The Common Core State Standards provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them. The standards are designed to be robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that our young people need for success in college and careers. With American students fully prepared for the future, our communities will be best positioned to compete successfully in the global economy.
E. D. Hirsch’s Curriculum for Democracy
Article | Sol Stern | City Journal | Vol. 19, No. 4 | Autumn 2009
A content-rich pedagogy makes better citizens and smarter kids.
National Education Standards: Getting Beneath the Surface
Primer | Paul E. Barton | Educational Testing Service | July 2009
This national standards primer takes a look at the who, what, where, when, and why of this movement as it has alternately spurted and stalled over the last 25 years. ... The scope is broad: Having laid out the history of national standards, author Paul Barton looks at the current conversation, including, in particular, the variation in how we define "national standards"--do we mean content and curriculum, performance standards, or student achievement? The common conflation of these three concepts has only served to confuse the movement, he explains. This confusion is also reflected in the sheer magnitude of variation in states, districts, schools, and students. From basic school structure to students' differing levels of cognitive development upon entering kindergarten, the American public education system certainly seems to reflect its bottom-up history. Tackling that organic history will be a tough battle for any national movement, especially this one. In fact, the risks and difficulties it faces mean that any set of national standards will necessarily be voluntary. And it's yet unclear how these standards will remain national but not federal, who will oversee and update them, and how they will be implemented. Don't read this report and expect to come away with all your questions answered; you'll be sorely disappointed. But the reality--that you will find yourself with more and better- informed questions--will likely prove more helpful anyway.
Source: Thomas B. Fordham Institute | Education Gadfly | Volume 9, Number 26 | July 23, 2009 | By Stafford Palmieri
Why We're Behind: What Top Nations Teach Their Students But We Don't
Study | Common Core | June 2009
This study asked a simple question: what can we learn from the content standards of our international neighbors? ... A host of international assessments reveal that students in countries that emphasize a broad liberal-arts-style education over mastery of basic skills tend to learn those basic skills better than their skills-focused American counterparts.
Source: Thomas B. Fordham Institute | Education Gadfly | Volume 9, Number 20 | June 4, 2009 | By Stafford Palmieri
Understanding and Reporting on Academic Rigor
Primer | The Hechinger Institute | Various Authors | 2009
Remember the three Rs? Get ready to add a fourth: rigor. It’s the buzzword in education. ... But translating that rhetoric about rigor into classroom reality will not be easy, and it will mean that journalists need to know more about the origins of the new push for rigor.
ORGANIZATIONS
Core Knowledge Foundation
The Core Knowledge Foundation is an independent, nonprofit, and nonpartisan organization. The Foundation staff conducts research on curricula; develops books and other materials for students, parents, and teachers; and serves as a training and communications hub for schools using Core Knowledge.