Foundations of Standards-Based Curriculum and Instruction

• Examine the historical foundations of the modern standards movement.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of standards as a vehicle for educational reform.
• Analyze the impact that higher educational standards have on the classroom.
• Explore how standards relate to instruction and assessment.
• Analyze early criticism and proponents of the modern standards movement.

Key Issues of Higher Educational Standards

• Examine the key issues of state and local standards.
• Identify four different types of standards.
• Analyze challenges faced by states and districts as they develop standards.
• Examine guidelines for quality, teachable standards.

Classroom Best Practices for Standards-Based Curriculum and Instruction

• Summarize the conditions under which standards are most effective.
• Examine how to work with standards and how to make standards work for you.
• Identify best practices for standards-based curriculum and instruction.
• Examine the role of standards as part of a system-wide change aimed towards improving student performance.

Professional Standards

• Analyze the roles of administrators and teachers in implementing standards-based curriculum and instruction.
• Analyze professional standards for both administrators and teachers.
• Recognize that schools must be prepared to offer support for students to meet the standards.

Aligning Assessment with Standards

• Examine the history, purposes, and impact of high-stakes assessment.
• Compare item teaching and curriculum teaching.
• Analyze the ways in which traditional grading and testing practices must change to reflect standards-based reforms.

Future Trends in Standards-Based Curriculum and Instruction

• Examine the longevity of the modern standards movement.
• Analyze challenges and concerns that remain in the standards movement.