Parents of school-aged children have been inundated in recent years with discussions of standards and end-of-grade testing. While standards themselves are not new, much of the current emphasis on testing and standards-based education has grown out of the 2002 enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), federal legislation designed to ensure that all children perform at grade level in reading and mathematics by 2014. … [Read more...] about Standards-Based Education
federal policy
Providing for Gifted Education through the No Child Left Behind Act
In 2002 the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was overhauled with a decided slant toward accountability, that is, toward making school districts responsible for students’ learning. For the parents of gifted children, the reality of this legislation (known historically as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act) is that it is clearly not designed for their children. The act’s provisions and funding are directed primarily at evaluating students who are deficient in basic skills and at eliciting a … [Read more...] about Providing for Gifted Education through the No Child Left Behind Act
“Triple A” Options
The days of “senioritis” are numbered! The last year of high school can no longer be considered a time to relax before adulthood. Instead, it should be, says the National Commission on the High School Senior Year, a “time to strengthen skills, enhance preparation for postsecondary programs, broaden experiences to include service or demanding work-based learning, or culminate earlier classroom experience in a senior project.” … [Read more...] about “Triple A” Options
Federal Definition of Gifted
Does my child qualify for gifted services?” is a question that I am asked by parents from all over the country. Often I have to reply that I do not know, since states differ in how they define giftedness. … [Read more...] about Federal Definition of Gifted