Call for papers

Special Issue of the Review of Educational Research

Theme: Accountability and The Standards Movement

Submission Deadline: October 1, 2001

The editors of Review of Educational Research (RER) are pleased to announce a special issue devoted to accountability and the standards movement. Standards-based instruction, curriculum, and student assessments are viewed by many as the only approach to create a level playing field for all students by expecting all to perform at high levels while engaged in challenging curriculum across grade levels. Others see the standards-movement not so much as promoting equity and access to higher level knowledge and skills but rather as instituting strict accountability procedures, particularly the assessment of student performance on high stakes tests. The debate about the impact of standards encompasses a larger conversation about both how to improve the quality of education in the nation's schools and how to carry out what many refer to as systemic reform. On the other hand, the emphasis on accountability is frequently viewed as a manifestation of the new state-level policies and controls resulting from increased emphasis on state-level regulation of schools and school districts. In the end, it is clear that the debate about accountability and standards is a complex one raising ethical issues about equality, equity, diversity, and voice. The accountability debate reflects differences in beliefs about the purposes and processes of education, and the role of educators, the community, legislators, and the public-at-large, in establishing and monitoring the outcomes of public education at all levels.

This special issue of The Review of Educational Research will focus on issues inherent in the accountability/standards debate. We invite the submission of articles that are critical reviews and syntheses of research, written from a variety of disciplinary or cross-disciplinary perspectives. Manuscripts must be submitted by October 1, 2001. Submissions for this special issue should be directed to:

Review of Educational Research
University of South Florida
4202 E. Fowler Ave., EDU 162
Tampa, FL 33620

Manuscripts are accepted for consideration with the understanding that they are original material and are not under consideration for publication elsewhere. Five hard copies of the manuscript should be submitted along with one diskette copy. The diskette copy should be a 3.5-inch disk and in IBM-compatible, Microsoft Word format. Author's name, affiliation, telephone number, and email address should be on a separate cover page, and only on this page. An abstract of 100-200 words should also be on a separate page. All figures must be camera-ready.