Standards & Accountability

The Federal Government, States, and Standards: A 25-Year Partnership?

Twenty-five years ago this month, President George H.W. Bush and the nation’s governors gathered for a two-day summit in Charlottesville, Va., to discuss a single policy issue—education. The Sept. 27-28, 1989, gathering was a crucial point in the push for standards-based education accountability.

President George H.W. Bush, U.S. Secretary of Education Lauro F. Cavazos, center, Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, right, and Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton, behind right, arrive for ceremonies concluding Mr. Bush’s 1989 education summit with state governors in Charlottesville, Va.
President George H.W. Bush, U.S. Secretary of Education Lauro F. Cavazos, center, Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, right, and Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton, behind right, arrive for ceremonies concluding Mr. Bush’s 1989 education summit with state governors in Charlottesville, Va.
--Doug Mills/AP-File
Standards & Accountability Historic Summit Fueled Push for K-12 Standards
Aftershocks continue from the 1989 meeting in Charlottesville, Va., where the White House and the nation's governors took an aggressive turn toward standards-based accountability in public education.
Alyson Klein, September 23, 2014
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12 min read
Education Additional Resources
Further your understanding of the Education Summit with these additional resources.
September 23, 2014
Standards & Accountability Timeline: Fueling the Push for Education Standards
View a 25-year timeline of significant developments in the movement for standards-based accountability in public education.
September 23, 2014
Standards & Accountability Key Players of the 1989 Education Summit
The 1989 education summit in Charlottesville, Va., gave momentum to what's known as the standards-based reform movement, and formed a big portion of the education legacy for many policymakers who took part.
September 23, 2014
Standards & Accountability From the Archives: Stories From Education Week on the Summit
Read more about the 1989 summit with these additional stories.
September 23, 2014
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1 min read

Vol. 34, Issue 05

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