Standard

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** Origin **
From the Education Reform Movement of the 1980's. //A Nation At Risk// fueled the desire to standardize all students in 1983. No Child Left Behind was an attempt to standardize in 2001. The belief that all Americans students have the right to a free and equal education.

**Meanings **
To students it means pressure and tests. To teachers, it's what to teach, and some times that's all. There is less flexibility. Expected to teach the test and reach 100% proficiency by 2014. There is a standard cirrulum. Focus __should be__ on learning. (However tests are emphasized for money.) Policies and instruction is based around these goals.

**Purpose **
To determine what all students should know. A high school diploma comes with a list of skills a student has. Students learn what is deemed "important." Compare to test scores not other students or countries.

**Differences **
Standards mean everyone is working towards the same goal. Teachers, parents, and students know these standards. A different thought system.

 All students need to be viewed as capable and smart; some are not smarter than others.. Students get all the resources they need, not just what they can afford. With standards, all students are compared to a test.

**What is SAS? **
SAS stands for Standard Aligned System used in the state of Pennsylvania. Six elements work together to create a common base for all schools for growth in their students. These six areas are assessment, curriculum framework, instruction, materials and resources, safe and supportive schools, and standards. These are how the state determines if students are reaching the standards, and shows what it expects students to achieve before graduation.

**What are the six components connected to Student Achievement? **
[|PA SAS] [|Federal standards] [|General Standards]
 * <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16px;">Assessment is used to test and note what students have learned to continue working towards standardization.
 * <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16px;">Curriculum Framework shows everyone what a child should be learning in every subject at every grade level.
 * <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16px;">Instruction helps teachers plan, control their classroom and make it a good environment, a variety of effective ways to give their lessons, and what the state expects them to do.
 * <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16px;">Materials and Resources breaks down the curriculum further and offers how students should be progressing, units to cover, ideas for lesson plans and other examples.
 * <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16px;">Safe and Supportive Schools promotes what they expect schools to be providing. They expect safety for students, and a pleasant environment that students will learn in.
 * <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16px;">Standards are the state's list of expectations that will be assessed.