ABSTRACT
Seasoned travelers know to check the climate of a location before making travel plans or else they may be paying top dollar for that must-have article needed for comfort. The climate plays an integral role in the academic success of students. The No Child Left Behind Act, with its focus on proficiency rather than academic growth, enhances the likelihood that this broad swath of learners will be all but irrelevant in daily classroom planning. Assessment for learning occurs when "teachers use the classroom assessment process and the continuous flow of information about student achievement that it provides in order to advance, not merely check on, student learning". It is vitally important to design procedures and routines for dealing with issues such as multiple groups and grading; it is just as important for students to understand these expectations. Excellence in teaching was explored in the earlier discussion of high expectations, but the concept of a community of learners warrants further thought.
