Content Standards

Competency-Based Education: Staying Shallow or Going Deep?

In order to be successful in the 21st century, students will need to master an expanded set of competencies that extends beyond discrete academic standards. Competency-based education (CBE) is an educational approach that focuses on mastery of these competencies – rather than seat time – as a measure of student learning.  This approach is being adopted by a growing number of educators focused on ensuring students graduate college and career ready.

English Language Arts: Findings from the American Teacher Panel

This report presents findings from two self-report surveys taken by teachers throughout the United States. The surveys were designed to gather information on how teachers use instructional resources to address their state standards. In addition, the report identifies areas where teachers have mixed understandings regarding the instructional approaches most aligned with their standards. It offers recommendations for states and districts to consider, such as the development of goals, messages, and resources in those areas.   

CCRS State Map Additions Highlight Career and Technical Education (CTE) Initiatives

Today, we announced the addition of eight new territories to the map: American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI), the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Guam, Palau, Puerto Rico, the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), and the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI). Visitors to the interactive map can now review, compare, and contrast college and career readiness policies and programs for all 50 states, D.C., and now the eight territories.

Progress: Teachers, Leaders, and Students Transforming Education

The U.S. Department of Education has released a blog, Progress: Teachers, Leaders and Students Transforming Education, which highlights promising practices, lessons learned, and resources related to implementing K-12 reforms. The blog was developed to provide educators, parents, leaders, and stakeholders with information on how state and local K-12 leaders across the country are implementing education reforms.

Planning for Students' Successful Transition to Postsecondary Education and Employment (120B.125) Toolkit

This toolkit provides strategies, resources, and partnerships to help students transition successfully to postsecondary education and training. The strategies, resources, and partnerships included are focused around several elements that are instrumental in preparing students for college and careers, such as developing a comprehensive academic plan, developing 21st century skills, emphasizing high expectations, identifying personal learning styles, integrating career-focused courses into academic content, and more.

Youth CareerConnect Program: An Opportunity to Redefine the High School Experience and Increase College and Career Readiness

The Alliance for Excellent Education hosted a Webinar titled “Youth CareerConnect Program: An Opportunity to Redefine the High School Experience and Increase College and Career Readiness” on December 18, 2013. This Webinar provided information about the U.S. Department of Labor’s Youth CareerConnect (YCC) grant program and approaches to secondary school reform within the context of the program.

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