Internet-based educational framework for the correlation of lessons, resources and assessments to state standards

1. An apparatus comprising:

a server computer comprising at least one memory, wherein the at least one memory centrally stores:

a plurality of keywords;

a plurality of educational standards;

a plurality of achievement tools;

keyword-to-educational-standard assignments, wherein each of the educational standards has assigned thereto at least selected ones of the keywords; and

keyword-to-achievement-tool assignments, wherein each of the achievement tools has assigned thereto at least selected ones of the keywords;

wherein the at least one server computer is operable to:

receive, from at least one user, a selection of an educational standard;

identify each achievement tool having at least one keyword in the at least selected ones of the keywords assigned to the achievement tool that is also within the at least selected ones of the keywords assigned to the selected educational standard; and

provide to the at least one user a set of one or more achievement tools applicable to the selected educational standard based, at least in part, on the identification.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein achievement tools are selected from the group consisting of lesson plans, assessments and resources.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the educational standards are defined by discrete jurisdictions to apply to educational processes within those jurisdictions.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the educational standards of one jurisdiction have similarities to the educational standards of a different jurisdiction and the keywords assigned to such similar educational standards are the same.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein some of the achievement tools are generated by users in diverse jurisdictions having differing educational standards.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein as an educational tool is submitted by a user for an educational standard, keywords assigned to that standard are automatically assigned to the submitted educational tool.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein means are provided for revising the keywords assigned to a submitted educational tool subsequent to submission.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a data entry means for permitting a user of the apparatus to input a rating for achievement tools and for storage of the input rating for display in association with the rated educational tool.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a website user interface for enabling a user to access the apparatus over a network.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a user interface that enables an administrator to select only educational standards pertinent to a user for use by the user.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a user interface that enables a user to log in with a unique identifier, and filtering so that the user is provided only educational standards pertinent to that user.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the educational standards are defined by discrete jurisdictions to apply to educational processes within those jurisdictions and further comprising a user interface that enables a user to log in with a unique identifier indicating an affiliation with one of the jurisdictions and filtering so that the user is provided only educational standards pertinent to that jurisdiction.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an administrative system which allows the addition and modification of local learning standards to the state standards.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a lesson plan builder that contains data entry fields, the ability to add active links to web sites and data files, searching features for appropriate standards, and an electronic rubric creator.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a search facility permitting searching by grade, subject, by selecting from a predefined list of keywords or by typing in a word or phrase to be searched.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the keywords include grade level indicators.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a server computer comprising at least one memory, wherein the at least one memory centrally stores:

a plurality of keywords;

a plurality of educational standards defined by discrete jurisdictions to apply to educational processes within those jurisdictions;

a plurality of achievement tools selected from the group consisting of lesson plans, assessments and resources;

keyword-to-educational-standard assignments, wherein each of the educational standards has assigned thereto at least selected ones of the keywords, wherein the educational standards of one jurisdiction have similarities to the educational standards of a different jurisdiction and the keywords assigned to such similar educational standards are the same; and

keyword-to-achievement-tool assignments, wherein each of the achievement tools has assigned thereto at least selected ones of the keywords; and

wherein at least some of the keywords comprise grade level indicators;

wherein the at least one server computer is operable to:

receive, from at least one user, a selection of an educational standard;

identify each achievement tool having at least one keyword in the at least selected ones of the keywords assigned to the achievement tool that is also within the at least selected ones of the keywords assigned to the selected educational standard;

provide to the at least one user a set of one or more achievement tools applicable to the selected educational standard; and

wherein the server computer is accessible to users over the Internet using a website in which a user interface enables a given user to log in with a unique identifier indicating an affiliation with one of the jurisdictions and is operable to perform filtering so that the given user is provided only educational standards pertinent to that jurisdiction.

18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 17 wherein:

some of the achievement tools are generated by users in diverse jurisdictions having differing educational standards;

when an educational tool is submitted by a particular user for an educational standard, keywords for that standard are automatically assigned to the submitted educational tool; and

means are provided for revising the keywords to a submitted educational tool subsequent to submission.

19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 17 further comprising a data entry means for permitting a user of the apparatus to input a rating for achievement tools and for storage of the input rating for display in association with the rated educational tool.

20. A method of comprising, by a server computer:

receiving, from at least one user, a selection of an educational standard;

wherein the server computer centrally stores a plurality of keywords, a plurality of educational standards, and a plurality of achievement tools;

wherein the server computer centrally stores keyword-to-educational-standard assignments, wherein each of the educational standards has assigned thereto at least selected ones of the keywords;

wherein the server computer centrally stores keyword-to-achievement-tool assignments, wherein each of the achievement tools has assigned thereto at least selected ones of the keywords;

identifying each achievement tool having at least one keyword in the at least selected ones of the keywords assigned to the achievement tool that is also within the at least selected ones of the keywords assigned to the selected educational standard; and

provide to the at least one user a set of one or more achievement tools applicable to the selected educational standard based, at least in part, on the identification.