Succeeding with Standards

Book excerpt: In many schools and districts, the local curriculum is a hodgepodge of individual initiatives knit together by collective good intentions. Succeeding with Standards: Linking Curriculum, Assessment, and Action Planning describes a practical, school-tested solution to the challenge of creating a curriculum. Building on their work in How to Use Standards in the Classroom, Judy F. Carr and Douglas E. Harris describe a comprehensive process by which schools and districts can turn piecemeal initiatives into a coherent plan. Carr and Harris draw on extensive experience with schools across the United States, and groundbreaking work in Vermont, to depict the standards-linking process. They describe how to * Create a curriculum and assessment plan * Define effective practice * Create a comprehensive assessment system * Map out a path to success through action planning They also consider how to approach reporting results and professional development in a standards-based environment. Improved student performance is the centerpiece of all these standards-linking processes. Carr and Harris emphasize this point, clearly keeping Standards Linking in the context of bettering academic performance for all children. Plentiful figures and examples highlight Carr and Harris's insights and advice. An extensive glossary and helpful list of selected resources round out the volume.