Uniform Curriculum And School Leadership Standards

The effort to improve the public education system is an important issue of our day. Creating school leadership standards is at the center of this movement. The objective is to give every student the skills they will need to succeed in today's economy. Expecting students to meet challenging achievement goals is the first step.

The most important players in this endeavor are the students themselves. However, there are several stakeholders in this initiative. Teachers have a pivotal role, as do administrators, policy makers, and elected officials. Sometimes overlooked are employers who need workers with the right skill set. Each of these players bring issues and challenges to the table.

The key characteristic of the educational reform initiative is the requirement that pupils meet academic goals that are uniform in reading, writing, and mathematics. Uniformity is necessary in order that all pupils are being assessed under the same criteria. The goals must be measurable and clear. The actual course material is designed to meet the goals. Pupils vary in their scholastic talents. Ethnic and racial factors, and economic status will have an impact on scholastic performance. Notwithstanding, for the educational reform initiative to succeed, all pupils must be held to same high expectations.

High stakes standardized exams are given to measure results. Tests are the main tool that can be used to assess student performance. Examinations give educators and policy makers the necessary feedback to set policy and curriculum. Test results can guide educators to concentrate on those areas that need improvement. Standardized exams are a crucial aspect of the educational reform initiative.

A central idea is that educators ought to face consequences and be held responsible for results. Accountability provides an incentive for educators to do their best. Both pupils and teachers face challenging standards of achievement. Their compensation and, in some case, their jobs depend on their performance. In short, success results in rewards, but failure will also have consequences. In dire circumstances, the state may intervene to take direct action.

The specific content that is taught to students is at the core of standards based education. The plans must specify in detail the subject matter that a student must display competency in. These are sorted by grade level. The details of subject matter is not left to the teacher's discretion. In order to ensure uniformity, an exact curriculum must be followed. This uniformity is necessary to measure results.

Officials measure student achievement level in order to determine if the objectives have been attained. These results ought to be available to the public in order that transparency is maintained. Success or failure both require consequences. Intervention will be invoked when there is failure. Rewards will be issued when there is success.

School leadership standards must establish a high level of achievement for every student. It is based on the value that each pupil ought to be challenged by the subject matter. All pupils ought to be prepared for the current economic climate. They ought to possess the skills required to thrive in our twenty-first century economy.