Science literacy has always been an important element of the standards movement in education.

Without question, the standards movement has prodded many schools to find innovative ways to help lagging students.

The standards movement is partly a reaction to this economic reality.

"Excesses of the standards movement have promoted lock-step education," he wrote to parents.

The standards movement is a good thing and should be brought to completion.

Professor Elmore said that while he remains optimistic about the standards movement, there is more talk than action around much of the nation.

But he said that since becoming chancellor, he had a new perspective on the standards movement.

The standards movement in education, he says, "is a form of technological and intellectual fascism."

And in any case, the new law, and the standards movement generally, can't fairly be reduced to threats.

North Carolina's effort promises to be an interesting test for the national standards movement.