Tabulates each state's minimum competency activities, indicating who mandated the action (state legislature/state board of education), who set the standards (local/state), which areas are tested (math/language arts/other), which tests are used (local/state/commercial), and use of the data (high school graduation/grade promotion/remedial…

States should take an active and direct role in education reform: supporting school reform efforts, providing technical assistance, defining and controlling educational content, and assessing the outcomes of education. (MLF)

United States-based publishing firms dominate the Canadian learning materials market; their business and editorial practices suppress Canadian viewpoints and undermine Canadian publishers. Provincial and federal measures intended to strengthen domestic publishing have been adequate only in central Canada. As information technology advances,…

Most states are either working on or have adopted statewide standards. A significant number of states plan to link their standards to rigorous new assessments and accountability measures. Districts engaged in standards-based reform must routinely analyze data on student achievement. Sidebars list sources and describe a survey of district programs.…

Block granting disburses mental health funds largely at the discretion of state mental health authorities, and state priorities typically focus on the most severely ill persons. Rural centers may suffer because multipurpose programs responding to a wide range of community needs are excluded from the mental health service delivery concept. (JHZ)

Suggests that increases in state control necessitate new governance skills of community college leaders. Examines various state organizational structures and the nature of state control, emphasizing legislative intervention, state involvement in operational matters, and state-level governing boards. Feels that state coordination can enhance…

Summarizes public school finance in New York State, focusing on recent high levels of state aid. Discusses Speaker of Assembly's role as education advocate. This powerful Democrat formed a 1983 task force that studied financing, set priorities, issued a report, and produced a five-year plan to initiate further legislative action. Contains 2…

The state of Connecticut has introduced a fourth-grade mastery test that assesses thinking skills. The test was developed cooperatively by the state's Department of Education, a testing corporation, and several cognitive psychologists; several alternative models of thinking were synthesized to produce a theoretical foundation for the test. (MCG)

Argues that rigorous assessment in the classroom is the only way to reduce outside interference in the assessment process. Sees instructors as poorly prepared to assume assessment roles, recommending an increased reliance on common examinations written by subject discipline experts. (DMM)

Offers a review of ERIC documents providing descriptions of testing programs and evaluations of student assessment programs, as well as materials focusing on assessment validity, state testing initiatives, and cohort testing. (DMM)

This article examines the trend to eliminate school boards and place school districts under local or state government control. It outlines general problems that may lead to legal actions against school districts and suggests activities for integrating public viewpoints into school governance. (LMI)

Research reports from multiple studies in dozens of states have shown there are advantages to learning in small schools. To take advantage of the assets of rural schools and small-town survival, new state policy directions will be necessary in finance, facilities, teacher pay, preparation, and professional and curriculum development. (Contains 10…

Trends in the priorities set by state governors for higher education are outlined, including increases in state appropriations and improved school-industry ties. The additional priorities of some individual states for budgeting and revenue improvement are noted. (MSE)