Eisenhower National Clearinghouse

Eisenhower National Clearinghouse was a federally funded repository and dissemination center for curricular materials and instructional resources focused on Mathematics education and Science education in the United States. Established during the administration of Ronald Reagan and operating through the administrations of George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton, it functioned as a node between federal agencies, state education agencies, curriculum developers, and professional organizations. The Clearinghouse collected, reviewed, indexed, and distributed materials to support implementation of standards and reforms associated with national initiatives.

History

The organization was created in 1983 under a grant from the National Science Foundation as part of a series of initiatives responding to reports such as A Nation at Risk and subsequent legislative actions including the Education for Economic Security Act. Early governance involved collaborations with state-level entities like the Ohio Department of Education and national associations such as the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the National Science Teachers Association. During the 1980s and 1990s the Clearinghouse expanded its scope in parallel with the development of documents such as the National Science Education Standards and the Principles and Standards for School Mathematics, and engaged with professional networks tied to the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Funding and programmatic priorities shifted in the late 1990s and early 2000s amid reforms driven by the Goals 2000 legislation and the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act. The Clearinghouse’s operations concluded in 2005 as part of federal restructuring and consolidation of resource centers.

Mission and Activities

The Clearinghouse’s mission emphasized dissemination of peer-reviewed curricular materials and practitioner-oriented resources to support implementation of standards promoted by bodies like the National Research Council and the American Educational Research Association. Core activities included indexing curriculum units, annotating instructional guides, and providing user support to educators affiliated with entities such as the Council of Chief State School Officers and the Education Commission of the States. It maintained connections with content creators, including university-based centers like the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (note: as an example of university collaboration practices) and curriculum projects affiliated with the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the Spencer Foundation. The Clearinghouse also organized conferences and workshops that convened participants from organizations such as the Mathematical Association of America, the Royal Society (for international comparative discussions), and regional networks like the Midwestern Higher Education Compact.

Publications and Resources

The Clearinghouse produced annotated bibliographies, curriculum guides, and multimedia catalogs intended for teachers, curriculum specialists, and state policymakers. Resources promoted materials aligned with standards from institutions such as the Institute of Education Sciences and referenced exemplars from publishers like the Ginn and Company and research outputs connected to the Brookings Institution. It curated reviews of influential works including reform texts associated with Jerome Bruner, pedagogical models inspired by Lev Vygotsky, and assessment frameworks informed by scholars tied to the Educational Testing Service and the College Board. The Clearinghouse also maintained databases of lesson plans and laboratory activities that echoed practices from university outreach programs at institutions such as Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, University of California, Berkeley, and University of Michigan.

Partnerships and Funding

Throughout its existence, funding and partnerships involved federal agencies and private foundations. Primary federal support derived from the National Science Foundation, with project supplements and cooperative agreements involving the U.S. Department of Education and interagency collaborations that referenced advisory reports produced by the Congressional Research Service. Foundations and philanthropic partners included the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation which often funded related curriculum development and evaluation studies. Academic partners encompassed research centers at Columbus State University and other land-grant institutions, while professional associations such as the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association participated in dissemination networks. The combination of public grants and foundation support mirrored models used by entities like the American Institutes for Research and the RAND Corporation for education program development.

Impact and Evaluation

Evaluations of the Clearinghouse examined reach, utility, and alignment with national standards and assessment regimes shaped by bodies like the National Assessment Governing Board and the Educational Testing Service. Impact studies referenced in policy discussions compared dissemination outcomes to other clearinghouses and resource centers that later emerged, including digital platforms sponsored by the Institute of Education Sciences and the U.S. Department of Education Office of Innovation and Improvement. Critics and supporters alike cited its role in making federally funded materials accessible to state and local districts represented by the National Association of State Boards of Education and in informing practice among educators connected to the American Educational Research Association. The closure in 2005 prompted archival transfers to repositories and stimulated debates within organizations such as the Council for Exceptional Children about the centralization versus decentralization of curricular resource infrastructures.

Category:Education in the United States Category:Curriculum development Category:Organizations established in 1983