Questions about standards...

The following questions and Big Ideas are from the syllabus of Professor Conley's class, EDLD 541. I've placed in bold the questions/ideas that most intrigue me:

1. Why do we have accountability systems in public education? Is it possible tomake public schools accountable in a way that achieves policy goals?
2. What is the relationship between accountability systems and the political process in states and at the federal level?
3. What are standards? What is their proper role in public education systems?
4. What do standards systems look like? What are the strengths and weaknesses of various approaches?
5. What types of data do we need to collect to determine whether we are achieving the standards?
6. How should cut scores be established for standard systems?
7. How can we summarize information to determine program accountability?
8. What is the legitimate role of the state in the establishment of systems of
standards and accountability?
9. What are the effects of standards and accountability systems on teaching,
teachers, students, and learning?
10. What are the political and social issues associated with the adoption and
implementation of standards and accountability systems?

Big Ideas
• Standards and accountability systems are here to stay, however imperfect they may be. The goal is to learn how to do them right and how to balance state control and local creativity.
• States are just now learning how to express their newfound role as the primary
controllers of K-12 policy and finance, and current standards and accountability
systems represent a trial-and-error approach.
• Standards and accountability systems are inherently political, yet can also be tools that mediate between the state and school as expressions of common values and goals.
• State standards and accountability systems serve multiple sometimes-conflicting purposes.
• Implementing standards and accountability systems involves changes that are central to teaching and learning, and changes in these areas are the most difficult for schools to make.

Indeed. So now I'm wondering how arts education can fit into this picture -- and whether I can feasibly devise a research proposal with all of these questions swimming in my head.

Pity the class is only offered in the Spring!