Deliberate Dumbing Down of America Public Education

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Leading Learning for All Making the Right Changes at the District Level to Assure Successful, Sustainable School Reform—with Larry Lezotte Educational Accountability in Complex School Systems The Challenges of High Standards, Accurate Assessments, and Meaningful Accountability with Douglas Reeves

CONTENTS

• Correlates of Effective Schools • Developing the Leadership Team • Meaningful Educational Accountability • Creating Positive School Climate • Managing Change to Implement Standards • Instructional Strategies to Enhance Achievement • Infusing Technology • Ensuring the Success of All Children • Effective School Improvement Planning • Quality Teaching in the Classroom • Communication Literacy • Classroom Success—Applying Brain Research • Motivating Students

• Assessments as a Performance Tool • Quality and Equity in the School • Site-Based Decision Making • Learning Organizations

A N ARTICLE ENTITLED “C HARACTER E DUCATION C ATCHING ON AT S CHOOLS —R ESPECT , R E sponsi bility Emphasized” by Anu Manchikanti was published in the October 9, 1998 issue of The Washington Times . Excerpts follow: Character education is a national movement to bring universal virtues into the class room. At Wasatch, a character education program has been in place for two years. Thomas Lickona, director of the National Center for the 4th and 5th Rs (respect and re sponsibility), says a moral decline in youth reflects a character crisis in the United States. In his 1997 State of the Union Address, President Clinton called for schools to teach character and mold children into good citizens. Most recently, Vice President Al Gore an nounced $2.7 million in grants for 10 states under the Partnerships in Character Education Pilot Projects Program. The grants should allow states to work with school districts in devel oping curriculum and providing teacher training for character education programs. Iowa, New Mexico and Utah have received such grants. “It isn’t a separate curriculum or an add-on or an extra thing,” said Kristin Fink, char-