A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Goals 2000 Legislation and Related Items

• Goals 2000: Reforming Education to Improve Student Achievement (April 1998) looks at how Goals 2000 supports State efforts to develop clear and rigorous standards for what every child should know and be able to do, and supports comprehensive state- and district-wide planning and implementation of school improvement efforts focused on improving student achievement to those standards.

• Communities in 49 states are participating in Goals 2000. Find out how they and their states are using Goals 2000 funds and flexibility to accelerate progress toward their own standards-based education improvements in Goals 2000: A Progress Report (Fall 1996) (also available in PDF for users with Adobe Acrobat readers) and in the first biennial progress report required under the Goals 2000 Act, Goals 2000: Increasing Student Achievement Through State and Local Initiatives. An earlier progress report from Spring 1995 is also available.

• The National Education Goals Report - Summary Guide Building the Best (September 1993)

• The National Education Goals Report - 1993 Building a Nation of Learners (September 1993) Text Version: Volume One: The National Report (This document includes the text for the Foreword, Introduction, and Chapters 1 and 2 of the Report. The exhibits, appendices, and the text for Chapters 3 and 4 are not included.)

• Here are sites that host or point to academic and skill standards, developed by states and others, describing what students should know and be able to do; and documents about standards. Our pointing to these sites does not represent an endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education of standards presented there. The U.S. Department of Education does not endorse or approve these -- nor any other -- academic standards.

• Progress of Education in the United States of America: 1990 through 1994

• Find out about the parent information and resource center in your state or region. These 28 centers are funded under Goals 2000 to expand opportunities for parents to be involved in children's learning.

• In an effort of encourage high quality professional development, the Department of Education is inviting applications for model professional development based on the Mission & Principles of Professional Development (which recognize that professional development is a key ingredient in any comprehensive effort to help all children reach high standards). Here you will find a letter from the Secretary of Education inviting applications, and the application packet.

• Guidance for Reviewers for Reviewing Comprehensive Plans Developed Under the Goals 2000: Educate America Act. This guidance is intended to establish the basis upon which states' comprehensive education improvement plans will be examined by peer reviewers.

• State plans and other Goals 2000 related information.

• The full text of the Goals 2000: Educate America Act as signed into law by President Clinton on March 31, 1994. Please note that the 1996 budget bill signed into law on April 26, 1996, amends the Act in important ways. It:
  1. authorizes six additional "Ed-Flex" states, giving states unprecedented authority to waive federal rules and regulations;
  2. allows districts in states not participating in Goals 2000 as of October 20, 1995, to apply directly to the Secretary for Goals 2000 grants as long as the state education agency approves (states eligible for this option were NH, VA, AL, MT, and OK and districts in NH, MT, OK are taking advantage of the new option);
  3. eliminates the National Education Standards and Improvement Council, which had never been established;
  4. eliminates provisions governing the composition of state and local education improvement panels;
  5. eliminates opportunity-to-learn standards or strategy requirements within the state plans;
  6. provides an alternative to Secretarial approval of state plans giving the states an option to submit, instead, assurances that there is a plan and timelines and benchmarks for accomplishing it; and
  7. expressly states that Goals 2000 may not be construed to require a state, local district, or school to provide outcome based education or school-based health clinics.

• An Invitation to Your Community - Building Community Partnerships for Learning

• Teachers and GOALS 2000 describes how teachers can use the unusual opportunity presented by Goals 2000 to step forward and lead the journey toward high standards for all students in their schools and communities.

• Collection of Community Updates.

• A Goals 2000 update, and misconceptions about GOALS 2000.

• Visit the National Education Goals Panel web site, for the most recent information on how much progress the nation and states are making toward the National Education Goals. It allows users to compare state progress and describes what is being done to improve education in states and communities across the country.