To comply with official state regulations, public school districts in Massachusetts must establish minimum standards for reading, mathematics and writing by September 1980, and for listening and speaking by September 1981. The standards must apply to three grade levels: early elementary, late elementary, and secondary. Parents, teachers,…

Issues of state control over private schools are expected to center primarily over the questions of literacy testing of students and minimum competency testing of teachers. Available from Headmaster U.S.A., Post Office Box 21587, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33335; sc $4.00. (Author/MLF)

Legal decisions from the past 20 years that have been influential on the direction of the competency-based and teacher certification testing movement are described. Suggestions for test developers are made to guide them in developing tests that are fair and that comply with legal precedents. (JL)

This guide outlines the minimum standards for entrance into the fire prevention career field in California. It contains descriptions of 50 tasks. Each task description consists of nine subsections. The task title briefly identifies the content of the task. The occupational analysis subsection identifies the block, unit, and task within the…

The paper sets forth New Jersey high school graduation standards, including the exceptions for special education and limited English proficiency students. General requirements are described under three topic headings (sample subtopics in parentheses): (1) statewide basic skills requirements (the formulation of the Individual Student Improvement…

Oregon state law requiring the establishment of competence requirements for high school graduation are described and clarified in this document issued by the Oregon Department of Education. A competence guidelist provides behavioral objectives associated with each of six broad competence areas, including reading, writing, mathematics, speaking,…

Public Act 84-126 amended The School Code of Illinois to include a definition of schooling and a requirement that the goals for learning be identified and assessed. This document identifies state goals for language arts education in grades 3, 6, 8, 10, and 12, and includes a sample set of district level learning objectives consistent with those…

Establishing statewide standards that define what a Minnesota public high school graduate should know and be able to do to function effectively as a purposeful thinker, effective communicator, self-directed learner, productive group participant, and responsible citizen, this legislation outlines the graduation standards in Written Composition that…

A review of state laws governing certification of professional educators reveals both wide agreement on many certification issues and a shift toward making requirements more stringent. Teacher certification has long been accepted as a means of ensuring minimum competency. Many of the issues surrounding certification have been settled, including…

"The Graduation Rule - 3501" was created in three stages and governs the Basic Standards in Reading and Mathematics (1996), the Basic Standards in Written Composition (1997), and the Profile of Learning (1998). This document contains the first of these three parts comprising Chapter 3501. "Basic Standards" are the basic…

This document lists the essential library, research, and reference skills to be mastered at each grade level from K to 12 in the Kentucky schools. This list was prepared in response to state legislation calling for the teaching and testing of essential skills in reading, writing, spelling, mathematics, and library, research, and reference skills…

A policy statement by the New Jersey Education Association on the high school graduation requirements adopted by the New Jersey State Board of Education on March 5, 1980. (SJL)

Some states are mandating basic skills testing and encouraging comprehensive universities to provide remedial programs for students who do not pass the tests. Texas House Bill 2182 is an example of this trend and is discussed in light of 10 key issues posed by assessment experts. (Author/MLW)

Assessment testing in California's community colleges (CCC) helps to identify entering students' goals and skills level and to ensure that the students are properly advised of appropriate courses and programs. The California Education Code requires that all assessment instruments be approved by the Office of the Chancellor of the California…

The Oregon State Board of Education has rejected the use of cut-off scores on a proficiency test to establish minimum performance standards for high school graduation. Instead, each school district is required to specify--by local board adoption--minimum competencies in reading, writing, listening, speaking, analyzing, and computing. These…