"The purpose of this report is fourfold: to report on the direction of achievement in American schools, that is, to determine whether it's going up, down, or sideways; to figure out whether any change that is detected is big, small, or insignificant; to dig under the numbers and uncover the policies and practices influencing the direction of student achievement; and, finally, to figure out whether the public is getting the full story on student learning. Americans spend $350 billion each year on elementary and secondary education. They deserve an accurate, nonpartisan, no-holds-barred, data-driven account of what they're getting for their money.
The Brown Center Report will appear annually, this being the first edition. Although varying in content from year to year, the report will be presented in the same three sections. The first section will use the latest and best evidence available to evaluate student achievement in America's schools. The second section will go into greater depth on a theme related to student learning. This year's theme is mathematics achievement. The third section will evaluate the impact of policies and practices on student learning. This year's topics are the use of calculators in math instruction and state and federal programs that single out exemplary schools for special recognition."
