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Clinton Library
DOCUMENT NO.
SUBJECT/TITLE
DATE
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AND TYPE
001. note
Handwritten note (partial) (1 page)
n.d.
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n.d.
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COLLECTION:
Clinton Presidential Records
Domestic Policy Council
Michael Cohen (Subject Files)
OA/Box Number: 13363
FOLDER TITLE:
National Standards memo to POTUS
2012-0160-S
ry1221
RESTRICTION CODES
Presidential Records Act - |44 U.S.C. 2204(a)]
Freedom of Information Act - 15 U.S.C. 552(b)|
PI National Security Classified Information |(a)(1) of the PRA|
b(1) National security classified information |(b)(I) of the FOIA]
P2 Relating to the appointment to Federal office |(a)(2) of the PRAJ
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P3 Release would violate a Federal statute |(a)(3) of the PRA|
an agency |(b)(2) of the FOIA|
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information |(b)(4) of the FOIA]
and his advisors, or between such advisors |a)(5) of the PRA|
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of gift.
financial institutions |(b)(8) of the FOIA]
PRM. Personal record misfile defined in accordance with 44 U.S.C.
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2201(3).
concerning wells [(b)(9) of the FOIA]
RR. Document will be reviewed upon request.
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
March 4, 1997
MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT
FROM:
BRUCE REED
MICHAEL COHEN
SUBJECT:
YOUR PLAN FOR NATIONAL STANDARDS AND
NATIONAL TESTS IN 4TH GRADE READING AND 8TH
GRADE MATH
Summary of Plan
In your State of the Union Address you challenged every state to adopt high national
national standards and by 1999, to test every 4th grader in reading and every 8th grader in
math to make sure these standards are met. These national tests will be:
o
Aligned with widely accepted national content standards. In 4th grade reading,
the test will be aligned with the National Assessment of Education Progress
(NAEP) reading standards, developed through a consensus process involving
reading specialists, curriculum experts, state officials and others throughout the
nation. In math, the test will be aligned with the TIMSS international math
standard agreed to by experts in 41 countries, including the U.S.. The TIMSS
standards are also very highly consistent with the national standards developed by
the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
0
Based on existing, widely accepted tests that will produce individual scores
for students and parents in terms of the national standards. The new tests
will be based on the existing NAEP and TIMSS tests, which are designed to be
administered to samples of students and produce national or state-level scores
only. The new tests will provide comparable scores for individual students,
revealing how well individual students perform relative to clear national or
international performance standards
0
Developed by recognized test developers. The U.S. Department of Education
will contract with a test developer to create these tests. The contracting process
will begin shortly. The tests will be piloted in Spring 1998, and available for use in
schools throughout the country in the Spring of 1999.
0
Voluntary for use by states and local school districts. Use of these tests will
not be required as a condition of receiving federal program funds.
0
Licensed to test publishers and interested states and school districts. As a result
of this licensing agreement, the federal government will not be involved in
administering or scoring the tests, and the tests will be readily available.
0
Available to parents and students on the Internet once the tests have been
administered. Each year, after the tests have been administered, the test questions
and answers will be released publicly and placed on the Internet, so that parents can
find out whether their children are meeting national standards even if their state or
district does not use the tests.
0
The focal point for national efforts to prepare all students to reach the
standards. The point of the national standards and tests is to help improve, not just
to measure, student achievement. Between now and when the tests are first
administered, there must be a focused, sustained effort, and the local, state and
national level, to prepare students for these tests. America Reads is one component
of such an effort.
Reactions To Date
The reactions to your plan have mainly been quite positive. The Washington Post, USA
Today, and many local and regional papers have expressed editorial support for this plan.
As you know, the Business Roundtable endorsed it the day after the State of the Union
Address. Maryland has already agreed to participate in the testing program, and Gov. Engler
will announce his support later this week. Diane Ravitch and Checker Finn wrote a very
supportive op-ed piece in the Washington Post last week (copy attached). We expect other
education and business groups to weigh in positively as their Spring meetings occur. In
addition, informal conversations with state and local education officials and business leaders
around the country have been encouraging. They welcome the tests, and believe you have
found a way of defining the issue that avoids old political battles. Based on conversations
with a number of chief state school officers, I believe that California, New York and South
Carolina will commit to participate in the testing program in the near future. A number of
others are possible quickly as well.
Criticism of this plan has taken three forms. First, some have said that your plan goes too far.
For example, Gov. Thompson wrote an op-ed piece in the New York Times, arguing that
standards should be left to the states and local communities. Second, some in the education
community have renewed the familiar argument that tests are not the solution to low
performance. Instead, they argue that additional funding, better teachers, safer and more
caring schools are what's needed. Third, some (e.g., David Broder, Robert Samuelson) have
argued that your plan does not go far enough, because it is limited to only two subjects and
grade levels, because it is not accompanied by significant new federal funding to prepare
students to reach the standards, or because you do not require students to pass tests in order
to graduate from high school or receive financial aid for college.
Summary
Your plan for national standards and tests in reading and math is a significant step forward,
especially in light of the controversy that has surrounded the standards movement in recent
years. The most important thing you can do to advance the standards movement is to
continue to press the case for every state to adopt these tests. This month, you will speak to
legislatures in Michigan and North Carolina; meet with the chief state school officers here in
Washington; and possibly appear with Delaine Eastin and a broad coalition of business,
education, and labor l'eaders to announce California's support for your testing plan. The
Defense Department has agreed to use the tests in the schools it runs in the U.S. and around
the world; we are working to arrange a public announcement for this in the next several
weeks. In addition, the Education Department will soon be prepared to announce the
formation of an advisory committee to guide the test development process.
We are off to a good start: if we can line up California, New York, and Michigan to support
the tests, a number of other states will follow suit. But we must not let up for a moment in
this crusade, and we must be especially careful not to propose any new measures that will
undermine state participation in the 4th and 8th grade tests --because the most visible
indicator of success or failure will be the number of states that administer those tests in 1999.
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Withdrawal/Redaction Marker
Clinton Library
DOCUMENT NO.
SUBJECT/TITLE
DATE
RESTRICTION
AND TYPE
001. note
Handwritten note (partial) (1 page)
n.d.
P6/b(6)
COLLECTION:
Clinton Presidential Records
Domestic Policy Council
Michael Cohen (Subject Files)
OA/Box Number: 13363
FOLDER TITLE:
National Standards memo to POTUS
2012-0160-S
ry1.221
RESTRICTION CODES
Presidential Records Act - |44 U.S.C. 2204(a)|
Freedom of Information Act - [5 U.S.C. 552(b)]
PI National Security Classified Information [(a)(1) of the PRA]
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b(2) Release would disclose internal personnel rules and practices of
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b(3) Release would violate a Federal statute [(b)(3) of the FOIA]
financial information [(a)(4) of the PRA]
b(4) Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential or financial
P5 Release would disclose confidential advice between the President
information [(b)(4) of the FOIA]
and his advisors, or between such advisors [a)(5) of the PRA)
b(6) Release would constitute a elearly unwarranted invasion of
P6 Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of
personal privacy [(b)(6) of the FOIA]
personal privacy [(a)(6) of the PRA]
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C. Closed in accordance with restrictions contained in donor's deed
b(8) Release would disclose information concerning the regulation of
of gift.
financial institutions [(b)(8) of the FOIA]
PRM. Personal record misfile defined in accordance with 44 U.S.C.
b(9) Release would disclose geological or geophysical information
2201(3).
concerning wells [(b)(9) of the FOIA]
RR. Document will be reviewed upon request.
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
P6/(b)(6)
home
[001]
CA Had he For in
girl 755
HOW
Dr
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P6/(b)(6)
P6/(b)(6)
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THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
Hugh Price 212 310-9000 9010
Joe Klein
I
VA 804 924-0311
Caltur Lite Fil
ED Musch
804
804 977-7550
924-6696
CLINTON LIBRARY PHOTOCOPY
PAGE
2
1ST STORY of Level 1 printed in FULL format.
Copyright 1997 McClatchy Newspapers, Inc.
Sacramento Bee
February 28, 1997, METRO FINAL
SECTION: EDITORIALS; Pg. B7
LENGTH: 1374 words
HEADLINE: AMERICA NEEDS A NATIONAL PROGRAM OF STUDENT TESTING
BYLINE: Chester E. Finn Jr. and Diane Ravitch
BODY:
PRESIDENT CLINTON'S proposal for national testing makes sense. As former
assistant secretaries of the Department of Education in the Reagan and Bush
administrations, we urge Congress to support it.
When President Bush and Lamar Alexander suggested something similar, which
they called American Achievement Tests, congressional Democrats scoffed, and no
such bill was ever introduced.
And in 1992, when a bipartisan panel called the National Council on
Education Standards and Testing recommended a form of national testing, a
convoluted scheme that involved different tests based on common standards, the
idea was ignored by congressional leaders and attacked by prominent educators.
Still, it was a good idea then, and it's a good one now.
In fact, Clinton's version of national testing is better than Bush's in these
important respects: It doesn't require any new standards or tests to be devised,
and it does not hinge on dubious efforts to attach multiple tests to uniform
(nonexistent) standards.
The administration has figured out that the nation already has two excellent
tests that measure student achievement in reading and math, the most basic of
basic skills. Accordingly, the president has proposed that states and school
districts be permitted to use a respected national test for fourth-grade readin
and an equally admirable international test for eighth-grade mathematics.
Nobody is obliged to use these tests. The federal government will pay for th
first round of testing, and after that it's up to states and districts.
THEY CAN, however, embed the national tests into their own testing programs,
which virtually every jurisdiction has, and commercial publishers would be
licensed to offer them, a welcome form of "outsourcing" that would hold down
costs, bureaucracy and allegations of unfair government competition.
Most important, they're good tests, incorporating standards far more rigoroù
than those most states now use.
The reading test is based on the National Assessment of Educational Progress
(NAEP), which has been around almost three decades but has never been used by
districts or schools to report the progress of individual students. The NAEP
reading test is solid, multifaceted and has rigorous standards built into it.
PAGE
3
Sacramento Bee, February 28, 1997
For eighth-graders, the White House proposes to make available the math part
of the Third International Mathand Science Study (TIMSS), given to a
half-million youngsters in 41 countries. The standards are built into the
international comparisons. It's TIMSS results that enabled us to see that our
eighth-graders perform poorly in mathematics compared with their peers in many
other industrial countries.
Consider how powerful it will be for parents and teachers to compare the math
prowess of their eighth-graders in, say, Phoenix or Minneapolis, to the
performance of their peers in Korea and the Czech Republic. Consider the impact
of parents in Denver or Boston actually seeing how well their fourth-graders
read in relation to a national standard of proficiency.
According to every major poll, an overwhelming majority of the American
people want national standards and tests. Until now, there has been no way for
parents or public officials to get good information about how students are
doing.
Instead, they've been stuck with college entrance tests that are not
representative of the full population and that, in any case, aren't even
administered until the end of high school. Or they have had to settle for
"standardized" tests that yield spurious results about youngsters being "at or
above grade level, even though "grade level" is simply a statistical average,
not a true standard.
Only with such information can parents make wise choices among schools; can
parents and legislators appraise how well their school systems are doing; can
teachers and principals determine how effective their efforts are, and take
corrective action where needed.
To those worried about "local control," we say that these tests are a
yardstick, not a harness. They give the federal government no new powers. The
test results, in fact, will actually enhance local control by empowering
consumers, policy-makers and professionals to know what actions need to be taker
locally to improve education.
So important is national testing that it must be safeguarded from
politicization, a temptation sure to arise if the student results are as bleak
as everyone expects.
To prevent this possibility, responsibility for national testing should be
removed from the federal Education Department (and congressional committees) ano
placed under the control of an independent, nonpartisan body. Such an entity,
called the National Assessment Governing Board, already exists.
THE WHITE House's current plan to give control of national testing to the
Department of Education would, we think, be a big mistake. If Clinton will agre
to turn the program for national testing into an autonomous agency, akin to the
National Science Foundation (where the National Science Board sets policy) or
the National Transportation Safety Board, then Congress should endorse this par
of his education package. This proposal deserves their support.
Once upon a time it was even a Republican idea. Now it is a good American
idea.
FEB -28-97 FRI 01:46 PM E. D. HIRSCH JR.
804 296 9520
P.01
E.D. HIRSCH, JR.
2006 PINE TOP ROAD, CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA 22903
804-296-2631, FAX: 804-206-9520
University Professor of Education and Humanities
University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903
28 Feb 1997
Mr. Mike Cohen
The White House
BY FAX: 202-456-7028
Dear Mr. Cohen:
Here are a few pages from the Core Knowledge Sequence, which is the very specific, grade-
by-grade guide that forms the basis for teaching materials.
This is a bit more than five pages. You will know what your boss will need. The entire
document (which hasn't got much on a page) is 262 pages long. It costs $12.50. ($17.50 for
non-members of the Core Knowledge network.) Lesson plans are available on the internet
for free. There are guides to reseources and other materials. You and/or the President are
cordially invited to our annual conference, which takes place in Denver March 13,14,15 at
the Mark Adams. Attending will be between 1,200 and 1,400 Core Knowledge teachers
from around the country.
With best wishes,
Yours sincerely,
E.D. Hirsch, jr.
Core Knowledge Foundation: 2012-B Morton Drive, 2903 (804) 977-7550, Fax: (804) 977-0021. E-Mail: [email protected]
FEB-28-97 FRI 01:47 PM E. D. HIRSCH JR.
804 296 9520
P.02
INTRODUCTION
to
The Core Knowledge Sequence:
Content Guidelines for Grades K-6
Revised 1995
What Is the Core Knowledge Sequence?
The Core Knowledge Sequence is a consensus-based model of specific content guidelines that,
as the basis of about 50% of a school's curriculum, can provide a solid, coherent foundation of
learning for students in the elementary grades.
The Sequence offers a planned progression of specific knowledge in history, geography,
mathematics, science, language arts, and fine arts. It represents a first and ongoing attempt to state
specifically a core of shared knowledge that children should learn in American schools. It should be
emphasized that the Core Knowledge Sequence is not a list of facts to be memorized. Rather, it is a
guide to coherent content from grade to grade, designed to encourage steady academic progress as
children build their knowledge and skills from one year to the next.
The Core Knowledge Sequence is distinguished by its specificity. While most state or district
curricula provide general guidelines concerning skills, they typically offer little help in deciding spe-
cific content. The specific content in the Sequence provides a solid foundation in which to ground
skills instruction. Moreover, because the Sequence offers a coherent plan that builds year by year, it
helps prevent the many repetitions and gaps in instruction that can result from vague curricular
guidelines (for example, repeated units on "Pioneer Days" or "Saving the Rain Forest"; or, inad-
equate attention to the Bill of Rights, or to adding fractions with unlike denominators, or to African
geography).
Core Knowledge Promotes Excellence and Fairness
Excellence: All the most successful educational systems in the world teach a core of knowl-
-
edge in the early grades. They do this because as both research and common sense demonstrate, we
learn new knowledge by building on what we already know. It's important to begin building founda-
tions of knowledge in the early grades because that's when children are most receptive, and because
academic deficiencies in the first six grades can permanently impair the quality of later schooling.
Fairness: Only by specifying the knowledge that all children should share can we guarantee
equal access to that knowledge. In our current system, disadvantaged children especially suffer from
low expectations that translate into watered-down curricula. In schools using the Core Knowledge
Sequence, however, disadvantaged children, like all children, are exposed to a coherent core of
challenging, interesting knowledge. This knowledge not only provides a foundation for later learning,
but also makes up the common ground for communication in a diverse society.
FEB-28-97 FRI 01:48 PM E. D. HIRSCH JR.
804 296 9520
P.03
The Consensus Behind the Core Knowledge Sequence
The Core Knowledge Sequence is the result of a long process of research and consensus-
building undertaken by the non-profit Core Knowledge Foundation. Here is how we achieved the
consensus behind the Core Knowledge Sequence.
First we analyzed the many reports issued by state departments of education and by profes-
sional organizations -- such as the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the American
Association for the Advancement of Science -- which recommend general outcomes for elementary
and secondary education. We also tabulated the knowledge and skills through grade six specified in
the successful educational systems of several other countries, including France, Japan, Sweden, and
West Germany.
In addition, we formed an advisory board on multiculturalism that proposed a core knowledge
of diverse cultural traditions that American children should all share as part of their school- based
common culture. We sent the resulting materials to three independent groups of teachers, scholars,
and scientists around the country, asking them to create a master list of the core knowledge children
should have by the end of grade six. About 150 teachers (including college professors, scientists, and
administrators) were involved in this initial step.
These items were amalgamated into a draft master plan, and further groups of teachers and
specialists were asked to agree on a grade-by-grade sequence of the items. That draft sequence was
then sent to some one hundred educators and specialists who participated in a national conference
that was called to hammer out a working agreement on core knowledge for the first six grades.
This important meeting took place in March 1990. The conferees were elementary school
teachers, curriculum specialists, scientists, science writers, officers of national organizations, repre-
sentatives of ethnic groups, district superintendents, and school principals from across the country. A
total of twenty-four working groups decided on revisions in the sequence. The resulting provisional
sequence was further fine-tuned during a year of implementation at a pioneering school, Three Oaks
Elementary in Lee County, Florida. Also, the Visual Arts and Music sections of the Sequence were
further developed based on the research of the Core Knowledge Foundation, with the assistance of
advisors and teachers.
As more and more schools use the Sequence, it has been periodically updated and revised
based on the principle of learning from experience. (See above: "Preface: Questions and Answers on
Revising the Sequence In general, there is more stability than change in the Sequence. (See E. D.
Hirsch's Cultural Literacy for a discussion of the inherent stability of the content of literate culture.)
A Guide to 50% of the Curriculum
The Sequence is not meant to outline the whole of the school curriculum; rather, it offers
specific guidelines to knowledge that can reasonably be expected to make up about half of any
school's curriculum, thus leaving ample room for skills instruction and local requirements
and emphases.
Teaching a common core of knowledge, such as that articulated in the Core Knowledge
Sequence, is compatible with a variety of instructional methods and additional subject matters.
Teachers may choose to teach the minimum specified in the Sequence, or add or complement as they
see fit. For example, a fifth grade teacher could teach a coherent unit on the Civil War based solely
on the topics specified in the Sequence. Or the teacher might choose to go into greater depth and
detail by adding, for example, more detailed attention to particular battles, specific leaders, songs,
poems, historical fiction, letters, videos, field trips, etc.
4
FEB-28-97 FRI 01:49 PM E. D. HIRSCH JR.
804 296 9520
P.04
The Sequence, then, specifies a coherent minimum; the teacher remains free to decide when to
go into depth and detail beyond what is recommended in the Sequence.
Persons who wonder why certain items do not appear in the Sequence should keep in mind
that we are focusing upon the fundamentals of a good education in the first six grades. Thus, for
example, while the Sequence specifies that students in the fourth grade learn about the three branches
of American government, it does not specify that they learn about the electoral college. A teacher
who wants to present the electoral college is of course free to do so. But it is worth keeping in mind
that the students have time to learn more in middle and high school.
In summary, as a guide to 50% of a school's curriculum, the Core Knowledge Sequence is
designed to provide a practical guide to coherent instruction, while allowing teachers the freedom to
decide what to teach beyond the Sequence, and how best to teach it.
A Note on Multiculturalism
Respect for the diversity in our population is fostered by the knowledge specified in the Core
Knowledge Sequence, which has been reviewed by distinguished scholars in the field of multicultural
studies. Some people have urged the Foundation to make a separate listing of multicultural entries in
this Sequence, but to do so would contradict our embrace of an inclusive, rather than divisive, multi-
culturalism. As Professor James Comer of Yale University has written (in a review of E. D. Hirsch's
Cultural Literacy),
respect for cultural diversity is important but is best achieved when young people have adequate
background knowledge of mainstream culture. In order for a truly democratic and economically
sound society to be maintained, young people must have access to the best knowledge available so
that they can understand the issues, express their viewpoints, and act accordingly.
The Core Knowledge Sequence is designed to provide "access to the best knowledge avail-
able," including significant knowledge of diverse peoples and cultures. For a more detailed discus-
sion of these issues, write or call the Foundation and request a copy of E.D. Hirsch, Jr's essay called
"Toward a Centrist Curriculum: Two Kinds of Multiculturalism in Elementary School."
Core Knowledge Schools
Schools have implemented Core Knowledge in varying ways and degrees. Some schools have
begun by supplementing existing lessons with selected items from the Sequence. We welcome these
initial efforts to begin integrating Core Knowledge, but we especially encourage the efforts of schools
committed to becoming Core Knowledge schools by shaping at least half of their curriculum accord-
ing to the knowledge specified in the Sequence.
Implementing a Core Knowledge program is not a simple matter of buying materials or
following a method. It is an ongoing, collaborative process, demanding a dedication to teaching solid
academic content and skills to all children. See below for more information on implementing Core
Knowledge.
The Core Knowledge Foundation is organizing a nationwide network of Core Knowledge
schools. At this time, more than-150 schools in-30 states have taken steps to implement Core Knowl-
edge. For more information on being acknowledged as a Core Knowledge school, call or write the
Core Knowledge Foundation
350
40
FEB-28-97 FRI 01:50 PM E. D. HIRSCH JR.
804 296 9520
P.05
Geography K
GEOGRAPHY: KINDERGARTEN
Note: The study of geography embraces many topics throughout the Core Knowledge Sequence,
including topics in history (American and World Civilization) and Science. Geographic knowledge
embraces a spatial sense of the world, an awareness of the physical process that shape life, a
sense of the interactions between humans and their environment, an understanding of the
relations between place and culture, an awareness of the characteristics of specific regions and
cultures, a sense of past developments and future possibilities, and more. Knowledge of the
following topics, combined with knowledge of relevant topics in other sections of this Sequence,
will provide a strong foundation for development of an increasingly sophisticated geographic
sense in the later years.
GEOGRAPHY TOPICSFOR KINDERGARTEN
Notes
I. SPATIAL SENSE: WORKING WITH MAPS, GLOBES,
AND OTHER GEOGRAPHIC TOOLS
A. Maps and globes: whatithey represent, how we use them
B. Have students regularly locate themselves on maps and
globes in relation to places they are studying.
C. Making and using a simple map of a locality (classroom,
home, school grounds, "treasure hunt," etc.)
D. Rivers, lakes, and mountains: what they are and how they are
represented on maps and globes
GEOGRAPHY FROM WORLD CIVILIZATION FOR
KINDERGARTEN
Note: Many geographical topics are listed in the relevant sections
of the American and World Civilization guidelines of the Core
Knowledge Sequence. Those topics are repeated here for the
convenience of those who wish to examine the geography content
in one place.
I. WORLD GEOGRAPHY
A. Foster geographical awareness through regular work with maps
and globes.
B. Locate the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
C. Locate the North and South Poles.
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Geography K
II. AN OVERVIEW OF THE SEVEN CONTINENTS
Notes
A. To gain a beginning geographic vocabulary, and a basic sense
of how we organize and talk about the world by giving names
to some of the biggest pieces of land, introduce children to the
seven continents:
Asia
Europe
Africa
North America
South America
Antarctica
Australia
B. Identify and locate the seven continents on a map and globe.
C. Gain familiarity with the continents through a variety of media
(tracing, coloring, relief maps, etc.).
D. Associate the continents with familiar wildlife, landmarks, etc.
(for example, penguins in Antarctica; the Eiffel Tower in
Europe, etc.).
E. Throughout the school year, reinforce names and locations of
continents when potential connections arise in other disciplines
(for example, connect Grimm's fairy tales to Europe; voyage
of pilgrims to Europe and North America; story of
"Momotaro--Peach Boy" to Asia [Japan]; study of Native
Americans to North America, etc.).
GEOGRAPHY FROM AMERICAN CIVILIZATION FOR
KINDERGARTEN
Note: Many geographicalitopics are listed in the relevant sections
of the American and World Civilization guidelines of the Core
Knowledge Sequence. Those topics are repeated here for the
convenience of those who wish to examine the geography.content
in one place.
I. U.S. GEOGRAPHY
A. Name and locate the town/city/community and state where you
live.
B. Locate North America, the continental United States, Alaska,
and Hawaii.
42
L. richian Conci and inc ALLES
lines to see how these topics
3. Francisco Pizarro and the Incas
build in the later grade.
4. diseases devastate Native American population
?
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American Civilization 1
AMERICAN CIVILIZATION 1
Note: In first grade, children often study aspects of the world around them: the family, the school, the
community, etc. The following guidelines are meant to broaden and complement that focus. The goal
of studying selected topics in American Civilization in first grade is to foster curiosity and the beginnings
of understanding about the larger world outside the child's locality, and to begin to develop a sense
of the past and its significance. This can be done through a variety of means: story, drama, art, music,
discussion, and more.
The study of American civilization begins in grades K-2 with a brief overview of major events and
figures, from the earliest days to recent times. A more in-depth, chronological study of American
civilization begins again in grade 3 and continues onward. The term "American" here generally, but
not always, refers to the lands that became the United States. Other topics regarding North, Central,
and South America may be found in the World Civilization and Geography sections of this Sequence.
General Topics and Guidelines: The story of the earliest "Americans." Early civilizations in the
Americas: Maya, Inca, Aztec. Exploration and settlement: Spanish and English conquerors and
colonists. Introduction to the American Revolution and to the exploration of the Western territories.
Notes
I. EARLY PEOPLE AND CIVILIZATIONS
A. The earliest people: hunters and nomads
Note: Children will study the
1. Crossing the land bridge from Asia to North America
Maya, Inca, and Aztec civiliza-
2. Hunting and farming
tions in detail in grade 5. First
3. Gradual development of early towns and cities
grade teachers should examine
the fifth grade guidelines to see
B. Introduction to Maya, Incas, Aztecs
how these topics build in the
1. Maya in Mexico and Central America
later grade. Here, introduce
2. Aztecs in Mexico
children to these civilizations.
a. Moctezuma (also called Montezuma)
Though it is historically accurate
to note the warlike nature of the
b. Tenochtitlan (Mexico City)
Maya and Aztecs. it is recom-
3. Incas in South America (Peru, Chile)
mended that any mention of the
a. cities in the Andes Mountains: Machu Picchu
practice of human sacrifice be
left to the fifth grade.
II. EARLY EXPLORATION AND SETTLEMENT
Note: Early exploration and the
A. Briefly review Columbus (see Kindergarten)
colonial years will be studied in
B. The Conquistadors
greater depth and detail in grade
3. First grade teachers should
1. the search for gold and silver
examine the third grade guide-
2. Hernan Cortes and the Aztecs
lines to see how these topics
3. Francisco Pizarro and the Incas
build in the later grade.
4. diseases devastate Native American population
62
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American Civilization 1
Notes
C. English Settlers
1. The story of the Lost Colony:
a. Sir Walter Raleigh
b. Virginia Dare
D. Virginia
1. Jamestown
a. Captain John Smith
Note: The now familiar-name,
b. Pocahontas and Powhatan
"Powhatan," was used by
English settlers for the leader
2. Slavery
whose real name was Wahunso-
a. plantations in Southern colonies
nacock.
b. "the middle passage"
E. Massachusetts
1. Briefly review (from Kindergarten): Pilgrims: Mayflower;
Thanksgiving Day celebration
2. Massachusetts Bay Colony: the Puritans
III. FROM COLONIES TO INDEPENDENCE
Note: the American Revolution
A. Locate the original thirteen colonies.
will be studied in greater depth
B. Americans wanted to be independent of English rule.
and detail in grade 4. First grade
teachers should examine the
C. Reinforce (from Kindergarten) the meaning of "democracy"
fourth grade guidelines to see
(rule of the people).
how these topics build in the later
D. The story of the American Revolution
grade. At this grade, introduce
1. the Boston Tea Party
the story of how we went from
2. Minutemen and Redcoats
colonies to an independent
nation. It is recommended that
3. Paul Revere's ride, "One if by land, two if by sea"
first grade teachers focus on the
4. The "shot heard round the world"
topics specified here, and leave
5. the Declaration of Independence
for fourth grade the more
a. Thomas Jefferson
detailed study of the Revolution.
b. "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are
created equal
C. Fourth of July
See below, Symbols and
Figures: Liberty Bell.
6. Benjamin Franklin: patriot, inventor, writer, etc.
See also Music 1,
7. Stories of women in the Revolution
"Yankee Doodle."
a. Deborah Sampson
b. Phillis Wheatley
8. George Washington: from military commander to our first
president
a. Martha Washington
b. Our national capital city named Washington
63
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American Civilization 1
Notes
IV. EARLY EXPLORATION OF THE AMERICAN WEST
Note: America's westward
growth will be studied again in
A. Daniel Boone and the Wilderness Road
grade 2 and in greater depth and
B. The Louisiana Purchase
detail in grade 5. First grade
1. explorations of Lewis and Clark
teachers should examine the
2. Sacajawea
second and fifth grade guide-
C. Geography: Locate the Appalachian Mountains, the Rocky
lines to see how these topics
build in later grades.
Mountains, and the Mississippi River.
V. SYMBOLS AND FIGURES
Liberty Bell
Current United States president
American flag
Eagle
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Science 2
SCIENCE 2
Note: Effective instruction in science requires direct, hands-on experience and observation.
Students should be given as many opportunities as possible to experiment, observe, and get their
hands dirty.
Notes
I. SEASONAL CYCLES
A. The four seasons and earth's orbit around the sun (one year)
B. Seasons and life processes:
1. Spring: sprouting; sap flow in plants; mating and hatching
[caterpillar into butterfly]
2. Summer: growth
3. Fall: ripening; migration
4. Winter: plant dormancy; animal hibernation
II. LIFE CYCLES
A. The life cycle: birth, growth, reproduction, death
B. Reproduction in plants and animals: fertilization
1. From seed to seed with a plant
2. From egg to egg with a chicken
3. From frog to frog: amphibian, tadpole
4. From butterfly to butterfly: metamorphosis; larva (see
below: Insects)
C. Two types of animals: cold-blooded animals [fish, snakes] and
warm-blooded animals
III. WEATHER
A. The water cycle: water vapor; evaporation and condensation;
clouds; humidity; precipitation; groundwater
B. Clouds: cirrus; stratus; cumulus
C. Winds: direction and speed
IV. INSECTS
A. Identify examples of common insects [butterflies, moths,
beetles, ladybugs, bees, wasps, ants, crickets, grasshoppers,
termites, roaches, flies, fleas, etc.].
B. Distinguishing characteristics
1. Exoskeleton; chitin
2. Six legs and three body parts: head, thorax and abdomen
3. Most but not all insects have wings.
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Science 2
Notes
C. Life cycles
1. Incomplete metamorphosis: some insects look like miniature
adults when born from egg, and they molt to grow
(example: grasshopper or cricket).
2. Complete metamorphosis: some insects go through distinct
stages of egg, larva, pupa, adult (example: butterflies; ants).
D. Insects can be helpful and harmful.
1. Helpful: pollination; products like honey, beeswax, and silk;
eat harmful insects
2. Harmful: destroy crops, trees, wooden buildings, clothes;
carry disease; bite or sting
E. Most insects live solitary lives, but some are social: ants, bees,
termites, wasps.
F. Social insects
1. Ants; colonies
2. Bees: workers; drones; queen
V. THE HUMAN BODY
A. Cells: Introduce the idea that all living things are made up of
Note: More detailed study of cells
cells, too small to be seen without a microscope.
and cell structure in grade 5.
1. Cells make up tissues.
2. Tissues make up organs.
See below Science Biogra-
phies, Anton van Leeuwenhoek,
3. Organs work in systems.
re cells and microscopes
B. The digestive and excretory systems: what happens to the food
we eat? Explore body parts and functions involved in taking in
food and getting rid of waste. Become familiar with the
following:
1. salivary glands
2. taste buds
3. incisors; bicuspids; molars
4. esophagus; stomach; liver; small intestine; large intestine
5. kidneys; urine; bladder; urethra; anus; appendix
C. Taking care of your body: a healthy diet
1. The "food pyramid"
2. Vitamins and minerals
109
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American Civilization 1
Notes
C. English Settlers
1. The story of the Lost Colony:
a. Sir Walter Raleigh
b. Virginia Dare
D. Virginia
1. Jamestown
a. Captain John Smith
Note: The now familiar-name,
b. Pocahontas and Powhatan
"Powhatan," was used by
2. Slavery
English settlers for the leader
whose real name was Wahunso-
a. plantations in Southern colonies
nacock.
b. "the middle passage"
E. Massachusetts
1. Briefly review (from Kindergarten) Pilgrims: Mayflower;
Thanksgiving Day celebration
2. Massachusetts Bay Colony: the Puritans
III. FROM COLONIES TO INDEPENDENCE
Note: the American Revolution
A. Locate the original thirteen colonies.
will be studied in greater depth
B. Americans wanted to be independent of English rule.
and detail in grade 4. First grade
teachers should examine the
C. Reinforce (from Kindergarten) the meaning of "democracy"
fourth grade guidelines to see
(rule of the people).
how these topics build In the later
D. The story of the American Revolution
grade. At this grade, introduce
1. the Boston Tea Party
the story of how we went from
2. Minutemen and Redcoats
colonies to an independent
nation. It Is recommended that
3. Paul Revere's ride, One if by land, two if by sea"
first grade teachers focus on the
4. The "shot heard round the world"
topics specified here, and leave
5. the Declaration of Independence
for fourth grade the more
a. Thomas Jefferson
detailed study of the Revolution.
b. "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are
created equal
C. Fourth of July
See below, Symbols and
Figures: Liberty Bell.
6. Benjamin Franklin: patriot, inventor, writer, etc.
See also Music 1,
7. Stories of women in the Revolution
"Yankee Doodle."
a. Deborah Sampson
b. Phillis Wheatley
8. George Washington from military commander to our first
president
a. Martha Washington
b. Our national capital city named Washington
Science 2
Notes
VI. MAGNETISM
Explore magnetism through experimentation and observation.
A. Review from Kindergarten: magnetism demonstrates that there
are forces we cannot see that act upon objects.
B. Most magnets contain iron.
C. Lodestones: naturally occurring magnets
D. Magnetic poles: north-seeking and south-seeking poles
E. Magnetic field (strongest at the poles)
F. Law of magnetic attraction: unlike poles attract, like polesrepel.
G. The earth behaves as if it were a huge magnet: north and south
magnetic poles (near, but not the same as, geographic North
Pole and South Pole).
H. Orienteering: use of a magnetized needle in a compass, which
will al ways point to the north.
VII. TOOLS AND SIMPLE MACHINES
A. Tools help us make and fix things.
B. The earliest tools weremade from wood and stone, then from
iron (the "Iron Age").
C. Specific tools are made to perform specific jobs (examine
hammers, screwdrivers, pliers, etc.).
D. Through observation, experimentation, and constructing some of
the following, examine how simple machines help make work
easier, and how they are applied and combined in familiar tools
and machines:
1. lever
2. pulley
3. wheel-and-axle
a. gears: wheels with teeth and notches
b. how gears work, and familiar uses (for example, in bicycles)
4. inclined plane
5. wedge
6. screw
E. Observe friction, and examine ways to reduce friction
(lubricants, rollers, etc.).
Science 2
Notes
VIII. SCIENCE BIOGRAPHIES
Stories of the lives and achievements of scientists, including:
Elijah McCoy
See also American Civiliza-
tion 2, Westward Expansion:
Florence Nightingale
Railroads, re Elijah McCoy.
Daniel Hale Williams
See also American Civiliza-
tion 2, Civil Rights, re Daniel
Hale Williams.
Anton van Leeuwenhoek
See above, Cells, re Anton van
Leeuwenhoek.
111
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Mathematics 3
MATHEMATICS 3
Note: Mathematics has its own vocabulary and patterns of thinking. It is a discipline with its own
language and conventions. Thus, while some lessons may offer occasional opportunities for
linking mathematics to other disciplines, it is critically important to attend to math as math. From
the earliest years, mathematics requires incremental review and steady practice: not only the
diligent effort required to master basic facts and operations, but also thoughtful and varied
practice that approaches problems from a variety of angles, and gives children a variety of
opportunities to apply the same concept or operation in different types of situations. While it is
important to work toward the development of "higher-order problem-solving skills," it is equally
important-indeed, it is prerequisite to achieving "higher order" skills-to have a sound grasp of
basic facts, and an automatic fluency with fundamental operations.
L NUMBERS AND NUMBER SENSE
A Read and write numbers (in digits and words) up to six digits
B. Place value up to hundred-thousands
C. Order and compare numbers to 999,999, using the signs <, >, and =
D. Count by twos, threes, fives, and tens; count by tens from any
given number
E. Write numbers in expanded form
F. Use a number line
G. Identify ordinal position, 1st to 100th
H. Review: even and oddinumbers; dozen; half-dozen; pair
I. Round to the nearest ten; to the nearest hundred
J. Identify perfect squares (and square roots) to 100; recognize
the square root sign
K. Identify Roman numerals from 1 to 20 (I- - XX)
L. Introduction to concept of negative numbers: locate positive
and negative whole numbers on a number line
M. Create and interpret bar graphs and line graphs
IL FRACTIONS AND DECIMALS
A. Fractions
1. recognize fractions to one-tenth
2. identify numerator and denominator
3. write mixed numbers
Mathematics 3
III. MONEY
A Write amounts of money using $ and & signs, and the decimal point
B. Make change, using as few coins as possible
IV. COMPUTATION
A. Addition
1. mastery of basic addition facts
2. mentally estimating a sum
3. use mental computation strategies
4. addition with and without regrouping: find the sum (up to
10,000) of any two whole numbers
5. understand addition and subtraction as opposite operations
B. Subtraction
1. understand addition and subtraction as opposite operations
2. mastery of basic subtraction facts
3. mentally estimating the difference
4. use mental computation strategies
5. subtraction with and without regrouping: given two whole
numbers of 10,000 or less, find the difference
C. Multiplication
1. master basic multiplication facts to 10 x 10
2. what happens when you multiply, by 10, 100, and 1,000
3. multiply two whole numbers, with and without regrouping,
in which one factor is 9 or less and the other is a multi-digit
number up to three digits
4. write numbers in expanded form using multiplication, for
example 9,278 = (9 X 1,000) + (2 X 100) + (7 X 10) + 8
5. estimate a product
6. solve word problems involving multiplication
7. understand multiplication and division as opposite operations
D. Division
1. understand multiplication and division as opposite operations
2. know the meaning of dividend, divisor, and quotient
3. master basic division facts to 100 ÷ 10
4. you cannot divide by 0.
S. any number divided by 1 = that number
6. divide two- and three-digit dividends by one-digit divisors
7. solve division problems with remainders
8. check division by multiplying (and adding remainder)
E. Solve two-step word problems
F. Solve equations in the form of
x9
II
63;
81
+
= 9
G. Solve problems with more than one operation, as in (43 - 32) X
(5+3) =
-
135
EP. Hish
&
sequence K-6
-Moustand Segaence 7.8
- pre-k k
Hed start
Way to get national standards is not to
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Tdustrit level information
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THE WHITE HOUSE
wASHINGTON
March 4, 1997
MEETING ON EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS
DATE:
March 5, 1997
LOCATION: The Cabinet Room
TIME:
Briefing 1:00 pm - 1:10 pm
Event - 1:10 pm - 2:10 pm
FROM:
Bruce Reed
Michael Cohen
I.
PURPOSE
To discuss several ways of advancing your agenda of national standards and tests.
II.
BACKGROUND
This is an opportunity to brainstorm with some of the leaders of the standards movement
on the best alternatives available to you. The purpose of this meeting is not to make any
final decisions on your strategy, however, it provides you with an opportunity to take into
account the recommendations of experts in the standards field when making your
decisions on this issue. In addition, this is a valuable opportunity to gain the support of
this important group for your education reform initiatives over the coming months.
Attached is an overview of your plan for national standards and testing in 4th grade
reading and 8th grade math, and a summary of reactions to date. As a follow up to this
meeting, we will provide you with a decision memo that incorporates the ideas discussed
by the participants.
III.
PARTICIPANTS
Briefing Participants:
The First Lady
Secretary Riley
Deputy Secretary Mike Smith
Erskine Bowles
Sylvia Mathews
Bruce Reed
Michael Cohen
Rahm Emanuel
Don Baer
Event Participants:
The First Lady
Secretary Riley
Deputy Secretary Mike Smith
Erskine Bowles
Sylvia Mathews
Bruce Reed
Michael Cohen
Melanne Verveer
Rahm Emanuel
Don Baer
Diane Ravitch, Former Assistant Secretary of Education in the Bush Administration
Don Hirsch, Professor of English, University of Virginia, Director of the Core Knowledge
Project and author of The Schools We Need.
Governor Roy Romer
Don Stewart, President of the College Board
Richard Mills, Commissioner of Education for New York State
Hugh Price, President of the Urban League
Marc Tucker, President of the National Center on Education and the Economy
and Director of the New Standards Project.
IV.
PRESS PLAN
Closed Press.
V.
SEQUENCE OF EVENTS
Make brief opening remarks and then turn to each participant to speak.
VI.
REMARKS
Talking Points Attached.
Education Standards Meeting
Background on Non Administration Participants
Marc Tucker
President, National Center on Education and the Economy and Director of New Standards Project
Mark will express support for your proposal, point out that it falls short of a comprehensive national
system of standards and examinations, and urge you to endorse his New Standards effort as an
example of the kind of system of standards others should adopt.
E.D. (Don) Hirsch
Professor of English, University of Virginia and Director, Core Knowledge Project
Don has developed a set of detailed, grade-by-grade standards which are in use in a national network
of more than 400 schools. He will argue that, to be useful, national standards must be grade-by-grade
and specific.
Diane Ravitch
Former Assistant Secretary of Education Research and Improvement, Bush Administration
Diane is an enthusiastic supporter of your plan. She will argue that you remain focused on 4th grade
reading and 8th grade math, in order to maintain bipartisan support. She will also argue that if you
consider advancing a high school test, that you also consider requiring students to pass it in order to
be eligible for financial aid for higher education.
Richard Mills
New York State Commissioner of Education
Rick is also a strong supporter of your plan. He will argue that you use the bully pulpit, relentlessly,
to press states, communities, schools, teachers and parents to do everything necessary to prepare
students to meet the standards.
Donald Stewart
President, College Board
Don will have ideas about how to create a meaningful national test for high school graduation.
Hugh Price
President, Urban League
Hugh has been speaking forcefully about the need to make sure that students in urban schools are
held to high standards, and that leaders must work to remove the barriers that prevent students from
meeting these standards, including low expectations, lack of parental support, incompetent teachers,
and limited resources.
Roy Romer
Governor of Colorado
EDUCATION STANDARDS MEETING
TALKING POINTS FOR THE PRESIDENT
I am pleased each of you could join me today for this discussion. The issue of national
standards is a topic I have spent many hours talking to almost everyone of you about,
sometimes going back quite a few years.
As you know, in my State of the Union Address I announced my initiative to create national
standards and individual level tests in 4th grade reading and 8th grade math. I have
challenged every state to implement these tests.
Today, I'd like your advice on three questions:
What do we need to do to get my proposal for fourth and eighth grade testing
implemented nationwide?
What do we need to do to help prepare kids to meet these standards in 1999?
What else should we do to keep the standards movement moving forward?
Withdrawal/Redaction Marker
Clinton Library
DOCUMENT NO.
SUBJECT/TITLE
DATE
RESTRICTION
AND TYPE
002. note
Handwritten note (1 page)
n.d.
P6/b(6)
COLLECTION:
Clinton Presidential Records
Domestic Policy Council
Michael Cohen (Subject Files)
OA/Box Number: 13363
FOLDER TITLE:
National Standards memo to POTUS
2012-0160-S
ry1221
RESTRICTION CODES
Presidential Records Act - |44 U.S.C. 2204(a)]
Freedom of Information Act - [5 U.S.C. 552(b)]
PI National Security Classified Information [(a)(1) of the PRA]
b(1) National security classified information [(b)(1) of the FOIA]
P2 Relating to the appointment to Federal office |(a)(2) of the PRA|
b(2) Release would diselose internal personnel rules and practices of
P3 Release would violate a Federal statute [(a)(3) of the PRA|
an agency [(b)(2) of the FOIA]
P4 Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential commercial or
b(3) Release would violate a Federal statute |(b)(3) of the FOIA]
financial information |(a)(4) of the PRAJ
b(4) Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential or financial
P5 Release would disclose confidential advice between the President
information [(b)(4) of the FOIA]
and his advisors, or between such advisors [a)(5) of the PRAJ
b(6) Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of
P6 Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of
personal privacy [(b)(6) of the FOIA]
personal privacy |(a)(6) of the PRA]
b(7) Release would disclose information compiled for law enforcement
purposes |(b)(7) of the FOIA]
C. Closed in accordance with restrictions contained in donor's deed
b(8) Release would disclose information concerning the regulation of
of gift.
financial institutions |(b)(8) of the FOIA]
PRM. Personal record misfile defined in accordance with 44 U.S.C.
b(9) Release would disclose geological or geophysical information
2201(3).
concerning wells [(b)(9) of the FOIA]
RR. Document will be reviewed upon request.
March 6 Standards Meeting With President
Objective: To help the President develop his own thinking by providing him with a range of
views from key experts in the field.
Potential participants:
Marc Tucker (heads New Standards and President of National Center on Education and the
Economy. Will push for endorsement of New Standards)***
Diane Ravitch (former Bush Assistant Secretary of OERI; supports our testing approach, also
supports New Standards. Should have favorable op-ed in Post this week. Do not know what
stand she will take re: New Standards endorsement)**
Hugh Price (head of Urban League, big supporter of raising standards. Is likely to support our
initiative, and is likely to argue for support of grass roots efforts to help kids meet standards)**
Roy Romer (Gov. of Colorado, and member of ACHIEVE Board. Widely regarded as leading
education standards governor)***
& Sl
E.D. Hirsch (author of Cultural Literacy and Argues forcefully for clear, measurable, grade-
by-grade national standards. Once seen as conservative, though professes to be political liberal
and educational conservative. Has developed his own national standards, and has a national
network of some 350 schools working with them. Likely to be supportive of our testing
initiative; not clear what he would suggest we do next.)
Rick Mills (Commissioner of Education in New York, formerly Commissioner in Vermont, and
education advisor to Tom Kean in NJ. Until recently, served on NCEE Board; both POTUS and
FLOTUS know and like Rick. New York is in process of selecting new tests to be announced
Smith
around the time of the meeting do not know what he will recommend, but will be direct,
honest, and thoughtful).
Juley
NO Alan Wurtzel (former CEO of Circuit City, and former member of Virginia State Board of
Education. Democrat, friend of first family, and contributer. Chaired national alliance of
business task force on standards, and has been very active in debate over standards. Supports our
effort, and will push for White House conference on standards, to help states figure out what are
good standards beyond our reading and math stuff)***
NO Chris Cross (President of Maryland State Board of Education, and President of Council on
Basic Education; former Bush Assistant Secretary of OERI. Supports our testing effort, very
knowledgeable about standards movement nationally. Likely to argue for limited approach on
our part, probably suggest we stick with current plan with no expansion.)**
NO Lou Gerstner (CEO of IBM, convener of Palisades summit. Believe he supports our
initiative, but I'm still checking. As head of ACHIEVE, he is trying to get it launched and find a
role for it. This meeting could provide the foundation for building a partnership. Gerstner may
also push for POTUS to do something to help business look at high school transcripts--by
removing apparant civil rights related roadblocks)***
NO Shirley Malcolm (African American, Vice President of American Association for the
Adcancement of Science, on NCEE Board, and on a bunch of NSF science boards. Will push for
coordinated effort in math and science.)*
NO David Hornbeck (Superintendent in Philadelphia, had been consultant widely seen as
responsible for Kentucky ed reform plan; also served as key consultant to Business Roundtable
when it was getting started in education, and has served on Board of Directors of Children's
Defense Fund and NCEE)
NO Paul Vallas (Superintendent in Chicago. Depending upon which rumor you believe, he
either wants our tests or New Standards???)
NO Tom Payzant ( Superintendent in Boston, former Assistant Secretary of Elementary &
Secondary Ed in this Administration)
NO Gene Garcia (Dean, Graduate School of Education at UCBerkely, formerly Director of
Bilingual Edudcatin in this Administration. Will be supportive of our efforts)
NATIONAL
CENTER
ON
10 March 1997
EDUCATION
AND THE
The President
ECONOMY
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
Thanks very much for the invitation to participate in the meeting
on education standards and assessments in the Cabinet Room on
Wednesday. As long as we have known each other, I am still
amazed at your grasp of the subtleties of education policy issues
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
and the steadfastness of your commitment to education. Perhaps
I have tunnel vision, but I believe that the results of that
RAY MARSHALL
Chair
commitment to education will prove to be your most important
legacy to this country. Thank you for that.
HARRY E. FEATHERSTONE
Treasurer
When we were talking after the formal meeting, I asked whether
DAVID J. BARRAM
PATRICIA C. BARRON
you might be willing to address the final meeting of our New
ANTHONY CARNEVALE
Standards governing board, the group of state commissioners of
SARAH H. CLEVELAND
THOMAS W. COLE, JR.
education, governors, legislators, business leaders, education
PHYLLIS EISEN
leaders and others under whose policy guidance our standards
VANBUREN N. HANSFORD, JR.
GUILBERT C. HENTSCHKE
and assessments were developed. I was, I confess, delighted
VERA KATZ
when you not only said that you would, but also invited us to do
ARTURO MADRID
SHIRLEY M. MALCOM
the meeting at the White House.
BERTHA O. PENDLETON
PHILIP H. POWER
LAUREN B. RESNICK
Our invitation would go to all the people who have served on our
MARC S. TUCKER
governing board during the six years of its existence, the National
ADAM URBANSKI
Center Board of Trustees (of which, you may recall, Hillary was
MARC S. TUCKER
once a member, and with which you once met), and the senior
President
staff of the National Center. This amounts to about 150 people,
of which, I would guess, not more than half would actually be able
to come. We would have in mind an event that might last a
couple of hours at most and could be done in a tent in the Rose
Garden, for which, of course, we would be happy to pay.
The best times for us to have the event would be anytime during
the week of May 12, 1997 or the week of June 23, 1997. But we
would be happy to adjust our schedule to match yours almost any
time in May or June.
WASHINGTON OFFICE:
SUITE 750
This group consists mainly of people from the states that have
700 11TH STREET NW
done the best work on standards and who are, I would guess,
WASHINGTON, DC 20001
most committed to national standards. They are led by the
202-783-3668
Governing Board chair, Delaine Eastin, the chief state school
FAX: 202-783-3672
officer in California, who has often been your host in California
ROCHESTER OFFICE:
and who we value greatly. Ray Marshall is now the chair of our
SUITE 900
Board of Trustees. You will definitely be among friends.
2 STATE STREET
ROCHESTER, NY 14614
716-546-7620
FAX: 716-546-3145
The President
Page 2
I was thrilled at your offer to meet with us. It will be a good opportunity for you to get
to a key group of national education leaders and a wonderful opportunity for them to
hear from you first hand not only where you think we all ought to be going, but also for
them to hear you congratulate them on the support they have given the development of
our performance standards (these states have been contributing up to $500,000 per year
to the project, often in the face of determined opposition from the fundamentalist right).
Should you choose to use the occasion to make an important statement on national
standards, this group will be a very appropriate audience for it.
One last thing. Getting back to the themes of our meeting in the White House the other
day, I hope that as you continue to speak about the importance of national standards,
you can call attention to the performance standards we have developed. I am not
suggesting that you endorse them as the one set of standards that everyone should
adopt. I think our standards should have to win or lose in the marketplace of ideas, like
any others. But it would not be amiss, I think, for you to hold our standards up as one
example of the kind of standards that people should be looking hard at.
Once again, thanks - - for your leadership and for your invitation.
Sincerely,
Marc Tucker
CC:
First Lady Hillary Clinton
Mike Cohen
Lauren Resnick
Judy Codding
Delaine Eastin
Ray Marshall
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
March 4, 1997
MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT
FROM:
BRUCE REED
MICHAEL COHEN
SUBJECT:
YOUR PLAN FOR NATIONAL STANDARDS AND
NATIONAL TESTS IN 4TH GRADE READING AND 8TH
GRADE MATH
Summary of Plan
In your State of the Union Address you challenged every state to adopt high national
national standards and by 1999, to test every 4th grader in reading and every 8th grader in
math to make sure these standards are met. These national tests will be:
0
Aligned with widely accepted national content standards. In 4th grade reading,
the test will be aligned with the National Assessment of Education Progress
(NAEP) reading standards, developed through a consensus process involving
reading specialists, curriculum experts, state officials and others throughout the
nation. In math, the test will be aligned with the TIMSS international math
standard agreed to by experts in 41 countries, including the U.S.. The TIMSS
standards are also very highly consistent with the national standards developed by
the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
o
Based on existing, widely accepted tests that will produce individual scores
for students and parents in terms of the national standards. The new tests
will be based on the existing NAEP and TIMSS tests, which are designed to be
administered to samples of students and produce national or state-level scores
only. The new tests will provide comparable scores for individual students,
revealing how well individual students perform relative to clear national or
international performance standards
0
Developed by recognized test developers. The U.S. Department of Education
will contract with a test developer to create these tests. The contracting process
will begin shortly. The tests will be piloted in Spring 1998, and available for use in
schools throughout the country in the Spring of 1999.
0
Voluntary for use by states and local school districts. Use of these tests will
not be required as a condition of receiving federal program funds.
EDUCATION STANDARDS MEETING
TALKING POINTS FOR THE PRESIDENT
I am pleased each of you could join me today for this discussion. The issue of national
standards is a topic I have spent many hours talking to almost everyone of you about,
sometimes going back quite a few years.
As you know, in my State of the Union Address I announced my initiative to create national
standards and individual level tests in 4th grade reading and 8th grade math. I have
challenged every state to implement these tests.
Today, I'd like your advice on three questions:
What do we need to do to get my proposal for fourth and eighth grade testing
implemented nationwide?
What do we need to do to help prepare kids to meet these standards in 1999?
What else should we do to keep the standards movement moving forward?
NATIONAL
CENTER
ON
10 March 1997
EDUCATION
AND THE
The President
ECONOMY
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
Thanks very much for the invitation to participate in the meeting
on education standards and assessments in the Cabinet Room on
Wednesday. As long as we have known each other, I am still
amazed at your grasp of the subtleties of education policy issues
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
and the steadfastness of your commitment to education. Perhaps
I have tunnel vision, but I believe that the results of that
RAY MARSHALL
Chair
commitment to education will prove to be your most important
legacy to this country. Thank you for that.
HARRY E. FEATHERSTONE
Treasurer
When we were talking after the formal meeting, I asked whether
DAVID J. BARRAM
PATRICIA C. BARRON
you might be willing to address the final meeting of our New
ANTHONY CARNEVALE
Standards governing board, the group of state commissioners of
SARAH H. CLEVELAND
THOMAS W. COLE, JR.
education, governors, legislators, business leaders, education
PHYLLIS EISEN
leaders and others under whose policy guidance our standards
VANBUREN N. HANSFORD, JR.
GUILBERT C. HENTSCHKE
and assessments were developed. I was, I confess, delighted
VERA KATZ
when you not only said that you would, but also invited us to do
ARTURO MADRID
SHIRLEY M. MALCOM
the meeting at the White House.
BERTHA O. PENDLETON
PHILIP H. POWER
LAUREN B. RESNICK
Our invitation would go to all the people who have served on our
MARC S. TUCKER
governing board during the six years of its existence, the National
ADAM URBANSKI
Center Board of Trustees (of which, you may recall, Hillary was
MARC S. TUCKER
once a member, and with which you once met), and the senior
President
staff of the National Center. This amounts to about 150 people,
of which, I would guess, not more than half would actually be able
to come. We would have in mind an event that might last a
couple of hours at most and could be done in a tent in the Rose
Garden, for which, of course, we would be happy to pay.
The best times for us to have the event would be anytime during
the week of May 12, 1997 or the week of June 23, 1997. But we
would be happy to adjust our schedule to match yours almost any
time in May or June.
WASHINGTON OFFICE:
SUITE 750
This group consists mainly of people from the states that have
700 11TH STREET, NW
done the best work on standards and who are, I would guess,
WASHINGTON. DC 20001
most committed to national standards. They are led by the
202-783-3668
Governing Board chair, Delaine Eastin, the chief state school
FAX: 202-783-3672
officer in California, who has often been your host in California
ROCHESTER OFFICE:
and who we value greatly. Ray Marshall is now the chair of our
SUITE 900
Board of Trustees. You will definitely be among friends.
2 STATE STREET
ROCHESTER, NY 14614
716-546-7620
FAX: 716-546-3145
The President
Page 2
I was thrilled at your offer to meet with us. It will be a good opportunity for you to get
to a key group of national education leaders and a wonderful opportunity for them to
hear from you first hand not only where you think we all ought to be going, but also for
them to hear you congratulate them on the support they have given the development of
our performance standards (these states have been contributing up to $500,000 per year
to the project, often in the face of determined opposition from the fundamentalist right).
Should you choose to use the occasion to make an important statement on national
standards, this group will be a very appropriate audience for it.
One last thing. Getting back to the themes of our meeting in the White House the other
day, I hope that as you continue to speak about the importance of national standards,
you can call attention to the performance standards we have developed. I am not
suggesting that you endorse them as the one set of standards that everyone should
adopt. I think our standards should have to win or lose in the marketplace of ideas, like
any others. But it would not be amiss, I think, for you to hold our standards up as one.
example of the kind of standards that people should be looking hard at.
Once again, thanks - for your leadership and for your invitation.
Sincerely,
Marc Tucker
CC:
First Lady Hillary Clinton
Mike Cohen
Lauren Resnick
Judy Codding
Delaine Eastin
Ray Marshall
The College Board
45 Columbus Avenue, New York. New York 10023-6992
(212) 713-8000
Office of the President
FEDERAL EXPRESS
March 6, 1997
President William J. Clinton
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear Mr. President:
It was a pleasure and honor to have participated in yesterday's meeting at the White
House which you convened to discuss the formulation and implementation of national
standards and assessment. I hope that I was helpful.
Perhaps my only real contribution grew out of Hugh Price's reference to the College
Board's EQUITY 2000 program. Testing is our business and I am very proud of our
PSAT, SAT, Pacesetter and Advanced Placement programs, but I am convinced that they
have no meaning for students who are not motivated and prepared. Herein lies our
challenge as we embrace national testing at the fourth and eighth grade levels, possibly
beyond. EQUITY 2000 is the College Board's response to this challenge. There is no
test, norm-referenced or criterion-referenced (we do both), on which all students will win
equally, but we can improve the odds enormously through improved teaching and
learning opportunities at the classroom level. I urge you to make this an essential part of
your message to the nation as you lead us to attain higher educational standards.
Thank you sir and good luck. I support you.
Sincerely,
Don
Donald M. Stewart
President
DMS/lt/1
http:\ltmar97.doc
cc:
First Lady Hillary R. Clinton
Hon. Richard W. Riley
Assistant to the President, Michael Cohen
Educational Excellence for All Students
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
January 28, 1997
MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT
FROM:
Secretary Riley
Bruce Reed
Michael Cohen
Mike Smith
SUBJECT:
Moving Forward on National Standards
I. Background
Over the past four years there has been considerable activity throughout the nation to set
standards of excellence for education. Work on national content standards has been completed in
virtually every discipline. With the support of Goals 2000 and new Title 1 requirements, forty-
eight states have developed or are in the process of developing their own academic standards, and
most are also developing new assessments aligned to these standards. Public consensus on the
importance of national standards of excellence for education is broad and deep, and the standards
movement has clearly taken hold nationally.
Yet despite this progress, there are significant challenges as well. The quality of the standards
being developed by states is quite varied. A recent AFT report indicates that only 15 states have
standards that are clear and specific enough to lead to a common core curriculum, and only 12
states have tried to benchmark their own standards to world-class levels. State progress on
developing performance standards and assessments is slower than with respect to content
standards. No state is able to determine for itself, or assure the public, that its standards are
rigorous and up to world class levels.
The state-by-state approach to standards and assessments limits the information available to
parents, teachers and students. In particular, the current arrangements make it impossible for
anyone to learn how well individual students perform against national or international
benchmarks. In short, there is no way for anyone to know if a student who meets a particular
state's performance standards is doing well enough in a larger context. This is especially
important because states will vary among themselves with respect to the rigor of their
performance standards.
1
Further, there is considerable evidence that even high quality and widely accepted academic
standards, such as the national math standards, have not yet penetrated into the classroom in
meaningful ways. The recently released TIMSS study of international performance in math and
science shows that neither textbooks and other curriculum materials, nor teaching practices, have
yet responded to the standards.
This memorandum describes three strategies for moving your national standards agenda forward.
It is designed to respond to the challenges indicated above, and to build on and extend
significantly the Administration's efforts over the last four years. While it promotes national level
activities -- particularly new national testing -- it is designed to build on and strengthen the work
underway at the state level, rather than force states to discard what they have already been doing.
II. National and International Achievement Benchmarks for Reading and Math
Proposal: We recommend that you call for a national test to determine whether students have
met national performance standards in 4th grade reading and international performance standards
in 8th grade mathematics. Over the next two years the federal government will develop these
tests, based on the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) 4th grade reading test
and the Third International Math and Science Study (TIMSS) 8th grade math test. These test
would be ready for administration for the first time by the Spring of 1999, and available on the
Internet by the year 2000.
Purpose: This proposal will serve two purposes. It will make the idea of national and
international standards very real and concrete for students and parents for the first time, because
students will get test scores comparing their performance to these benchmarks. In addition, these
two tests will provide a focus for national campaigns to significantly raise student achievement in
4th grade reading and 8th grade math.
A Focused Effort: This proposal is focused on reading and math because they are the building
block of nearly all school learning, and widely accepted as the most basic of basic skills. Fourth
and eighth grade are critical transition points in school, and reading well by the 4th grade and
mastering math, especially algebra, by the 8th grade, are essential to future academic success.
NAEP and TIMSS, while not widely known to the public at large, enjoy bipartisan support in the
education and policy communities. We believe this focus approach will minimize political
opposition to a federal testing effort.
Information for parents, teachers and students on individual student performance: Once
available, these tests will give parents, teachers and students accurate information on student
performance against recognized national and international standards. They will be the only
assessments that can provide this information -- no state or local testing program can currently
provide this information, and no other national efforts are referenced to these recognized
standards. This will make the idea of national and international standards meaningful.
2
Both NAEP and TIMSS were originally designed to monitor national, state or international
performance, not to measure individual student achievement. Therefore, at present, neither
NAEP nor TIMSS can provide individual-level scores. Our proposal would be to create
individual-level versions of these tests, making it possible for the first time to measure individual
students against demanding national or international benchmarks. Our consultations with leading
testing experts suggests that creating individual level tests that reflect the performance standards
in the current assessments is feasible.
A 2-Year Development Period, Led by the Federal Government: The tests would be
developed under contract to the National Center for Education Statistics at the U.S. Department
of Education. The contractor is most likely to be a commercial test publisher, or consortium of
publishers. The development costs are in the range of $2-4 million per year, and these costs
would continue as long as the test was made available. The Education Department, the National
Science Foundation and perhaps the Department of Defense Dependent Schools could share the
development costs. It will take 18-24 months to develop the new tests. If the Education
Department begins work immediately, the test could be administered for the first time in the
Spring of 1999. No new legislative authority would be required to undertake this work.
To ensure the technical integrity of the work, we would organize a technical advisory committee,
or ask the National Academy of Science to provide ongoing assistance.
We will also need to consider ways of reducing our vulnerability to charges of federal intrusion as
a result of the federal responsibility for test development. We have considered alternative
approaches, such as asking ACHIEVE, the new entity created by NGA and Lou Gerstner after
the education summit in Palisades. However, that organization is still not staffed or operating yet,
and is not likely to have the technical capacity to undertake this work. Further, reaching an
agreement about how to proceed with this work with the Governors and CEO's on the
ACHIEVE Board of Trustees is likely to slow down work which is already on a very tight
timetable.
National Tests Administered Locally, Supplementing But Not Replacing State and Local
Testing Programs: These tests would be voluntary; states and local school districts would not
be required to administer them as a condition of receiving federal funds. They would supplement
rather than replace existing state and local tests in these subject and grade levels. The combination
of these new national assessments together with state or local testing will provide both
performance and diagnostic information for individual students. While the bulk of the diagnostic
information would come from state and local testing programs, the new national tests would
provide some limited amount as well.
We estimate the cost of administering the tests at between $5 and $10 per student, or between
$30 and $60 million nationally if every state and school district used the test. We have considered
providing an incentive for states and districts to participate by sharing the cost of test
administration, probably on a 50-50 basis. We believe this will increase participation, while it may
also make us vulnerable to the charge that this incentive reduces the voluntary nature of the test.
3
Like most other state and local tests, these new tests would be available from a commercial test
publisher. Because these tests perform a unique function not currently filled by the market, we do
not anticipate significant opposition from the test publishers.
By the year 2000, versions of the tests could be placed on the Internet and scored by computer.
This means that, in states or school districts not using the test, parents could administer the test to
their children at home, and learn how well their children perform against national and international
benchmarks.
National Campaigns to Improve 4th Grade Reading and 8th Grade Math. These tests will
provide important anchors for national efforts to improve reading and math performance, as well
as measuring it. The America Reads challenge provides a model of federal programmatic support,
coupled with a national campaign to assist parents as first teachers and to mobilize an army of
volunteer tutors, that will increase reading achievement considerably. We believe that an
equivalent effort should be launched in mathematics, using existing resources in a variety of
federal agencies to support teaching and learning in math (e.g., the Education Department,
National Science Foundation, Energy Department, NASA, etc.), and the math and science
community at the national and local level. Preliminary discussions to launch this effort are already
underway among the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Education Department and
NSF.
The focused strategy described above should be complemented by additional efforts that address
a broader range of issues. These are briefly discussed below, and can be developed more fully in
the near future.
III. Promoting National Use of High Quality Standards
The focused effort on math and reading should be complemented by one that builds on existing
state standards, addresses a broader range of subject areas and grade levels, provides leadership to
promote nationwide consensus on what students should learn in core academic subject areas, and
assists states in developing and using higher standards to effectively improve teaching and
learning.
Proposal: We propose to hold a White House Conference on Standards of Excellence in
Education in the Fall of 1997. The purpose of the conference would be to increase the extent to
which states adopt and use standards of recognized high quality and to help improve the quality of
state academic standards overall. This would be accomplished by identifying and promoting the
best designed and most rigorous standards available from anywhere in the country, and by
identifying and reporting to states the extent to which there already exists agreement among states
on the content standards in core academic subject areas. In addition, the conference should
emphasize that to be effective in improving teaching and learning, academic standards must be
placed in a system of aligned assessments, curriculum, teaching practices and professional
development programs as a package. Examples of such systems could include Advanced
4
Placement exams, New Standards, College Board's Equity 2000, and the International
Baccalaureate. Promising state efforts could include the New York State Regents exams, and
new assessments in Kentucky and Vermont. You could begin highlighting promising examples as
part of the build up to this conference, without waiting until the Fall.
This conference should be conducted in partnership with business leaders, governors and other
state officials, and educators, perhaps by working with ACHIEVE. The White House role should
primarily be in convening the effort, in challenging others working on standards issues to identify
quality standards, and then to help build the consensus to use them more broadly throughout the
nation.
IV. Linking Standards To Accountability and Quality at the State and Local Level
In your speech to the National Education Summit in Palisades, you challenged states and local
school systems to put in place meaningful systems of accountability for students, for teachers, and
for schools. There are several initiatives already underway to help support these challenges, and,
over the next year, the Administration should undertake several additional ones. New and
proposed initiatives can be developed in more detail in a subsequent memo. Briefly, these can and
could include:
Promoting Excellence and Accountability in Teaching: Expanded support for the National
Board for Professional Teaching Standards. The FY 98 budget includes a significant increase
in support for the NBPTS. The Education Department, in response to a Directive you issued last
Fall, will inform states and school districts on ways federal resources can be used to assist in
preparing teachers for board certification. In addition, the Education Department will more
inform states and school systems on a range of ways in which federal resources can be effectively
used to promote excellence and accountability in teaching.
The development of guidebooks that summarize best practices on issues such as rewarding
excellence in teaching, removing incompetent teachers, requiring students to meet academic
standards before moving to the next level of schooling, etc.
Working with business leaders to help employers consider student academic performance
in employment decisions. The business community has been working to identify ways in which
employers can reinforce the importance of academic performance for high school students,
through the review of high school transcripts and other evidence of school performance. Many
business leaders working on this issue would welcome a partnership with the White House that
could raise the visibility of these efforts, and lead to more widespread efforts by employers.
5