Theory Into Practice · 2005 · 104 citations · 5 references
EducationEducational AssessmentInstructionDifferentiated InstructionEducation ReformStandard-settingAchievement StandardsPerformance StandardsStandards ImplementationStandards IntegrationStandards-based AssessmentStandards-based ReformInstructional Standards AlignmentStandardsStandards-based AccountabilityStandards-based AlignmentStandards-driven Instruction
The article examines the challenge of aligning standards‑driven accountability with the need to meet diverse learners’ individual strengths and needs. The study seeks to determine how to meet required standards while differentiating instruction, whether differentiation and standards can coexist, and how to uphold standards without standardization. The authors conclude that the two issues are reconcilable and that educators must address them simultaneously and consistently to achieve continuous improvement.
Abstract This article addresses the increasingly critical issue of how educators can reconcile standards-driven accountability imperatives with the growing need to address the individual strengths and needs of diverse learners. It argues that not only are these 2 issues reconcilable, it is imperative that educators attend to them simultaneously and consistently if continuous improvement is to occur in schools and districts. The authors respond to three essential questions at the heart of these issues: How can we address required content and grade-level performance standards while remaining responsive to individual students? Can differentiation and standards coexist? How do we maintain standards without standardization?
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