Research Directions: Fulfilling the Potential of Standards-Based Education: Promising Policy Principles

A great deal has been learned about how standards, assessment, and resources can be used in combination to make a difference for students, teachers, and schools. It is in this context that the authors make the case for a set of interrelated, research-based policy principles to support schools in improving students’ literacy achievement through standards-based education. Underlying these recommendations is their strong belief that the goal of standards-based education is to improve the quality of instruction provided to all children rather than to simply measure and report achievement or reward and punish students, teachers, and schools. The authors’ focus is on the application of these principles to federal and state policies that can set the stage for positive change in districts and schools. The authors argue that such an ambitious strategy must be attempted if the benefits of standards-based education are to accrue to all students. Their proposal for “getting standards right” centers on four principles to guide the formulation of policy: aim for Horizon 2, do a few things well, attend to conditions for success, and assess for more than accountability.