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

APPLICATION NO     :    R215E40032 APPLICANT          :    Texas Education Agency                         1701 N. Congress Avenue                         Austin, Texas  78701-1494 CONTACT PERSON 	   :    Sharon O'Neal TELEPHONE      	   :    (512) 463-4314 AWARD TO DATE      :    $339,375 PROJECT PERIOD     :    10/01/94-09/30/97 

The purpose of the Quality English/Language Arts Standards for Texas (QUEST) Project is to propose a set of content standards for the learning and teaching of the English/language arts, Kindergarten through Grade 12. Working collaboratively with Texas institutions of higher learning, as well as other professionals in education, business, industry, labor, government and communities, this systemic effort will ultimately answer the following three questions:

1. What should Texas students know and be able to do in the English/language arts?
2. What should Texas teachers of the English/language arts know and be able to do?
3. How (and when) should prospective and practicing English/language arts teachers show what they know and are able to do?

The three-year project will involve input from master teachers and teacher educators, as well as expert users of the English/language arts in professions outside of school settings. Models for instructional delivery, assessment, and evaluation will be piloted and refined during this three year effort, ultimately illuminating how we might better prepare teachers and students of the demands of the next century. The first year of this effort will result in the creation of collaboratively-prepared and challenging content standards for teachers and students. Growing from these contents standards, Years 2 and 3 will result in (1) high quality models for both preservice and professional development programs; and (2) criteria for certification and recertification for teachers of the English/language arts.

The evaluation of the Project will include peer and expert review of both the products and procedures for establishing these proficiencies. The utility and quality of the standards and the related instructional and policy efforts will be validated both by the Council of Chief State School Officers and through other formative and summative expert review. Information from the QUEST Project will be disseminated both nationally and state wide through professional meetings, organizations, through print resources, and through the Council of Chief State School Officers.

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