The pace of societal change and the development of societal challenges have speeded up considerably during the last couple of decades, with substantial impact on different levels, i.e. ranging from global to local, or from business to government. When focusing on the public domain, these changes and challenges have had a major impact on public…

Higher education accrediting bodies are increasing the emphasis on assessing student learning outcomes as opposed to teaching methodology. The purpose of this article is to describe the process used by Troy University's Master of Public Administration program to change their assessment approach from a course learning objective perspective to a…

The statewide implementation of the Georgia State Board of Education (GSBE) policy for high school graduation requirements was begun in September, 1980. It specifically stated that the GSBE would be responsible for assessing the basic skills, or learner skills, of students enrolled in public schools. It further stated that each local school system…

During the 1982-83 school year the Spencerport (New York) Central School District began a comprehensive project to study the effective schools research and its implications at all levels of a suburban school system. A leadership planning team (consisting of teachers, principals, and district personnel) participated in a series of workshops and…

The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff has designed and developed programs to enhance the status of minority students, maximize the performance of Black students and teachers on standardized tests, increase the number of Black teachers in Arkansas, and revitalize the image of teacher education at UAPB. (MT)

This document is the third annual status report of the Spencerport (New York) More Effective Schools/Teaching Project. Section 1 describes nine documents developed during the project; identifies persons participating in the project; states the applicability of effective schools research to all levels of a suburban school system; and sets forth the…

The National Institute of Education's (NIE) process of studying minimum competency testing (MCT) includes: (1) a clarification hearing to provide a public forum to discuss divergent views on salient issues related to MCT programs; (2) two investigative teams to explore the different perspectives on the issues, build comprehensive cases which…

This document presents an overview of the design and implementation stages of the Spencerport (New York) More Effective Schools/Teaching Project. The first section lists nine reasons for the uniqueness of the Spencerport project, including district size, its racial and economic components, participant satisfaction, a set of clearly defined goals,…

Describes a project designed to test the effectiveness of the traditional adult basic education curriculum and a competency based curriculum; develop an adult literacy and competency skills instructional program; and produce an exportable handbook which could be used by other agencies in developing such programs. (CT)

Reports on the positive outcomes that resulted from implementing a competency program in writing at a high school. (RL)

This article attempts to provide British educators, who face a similar trend, with a synthesis of some major developments in the Accountability in Education movement in the United States. (Author/SJL)

All New Jersey students in grades 3, 6, 9, and 11 are tested annually in basic reading and computation skills using the New Jersey Minimum Basic Skills (MBS) Tests. The MBS testing program was initiated in 1976. The former Educational Assessment Program tests were used during the tramsition, and test development activities were begun in 1977.…

The teacher education profession must develop a program to assess essential elements of professional knowledge comprising a teacher education curricula so that institutions can prepare teachers who can demonstrate that they have gained an acceptable mastery of cognitive and affective learning. (Author/CB)

Some insights into the development of an eleventh grade test of "adult functional competency" are provided. The evolution of the test from its first mention to its translation into a test item pool is traced. An attempt is made to identify some of the instructional, measurement, and legal implications inherent in various decisions which…

This report from the State Superintendent of Public Instruction responds to a directive from the Washington State Legislature to provide information on the progress of the development and field testing of minimum procedural standards and model evaluation programs for teachers. It contains a draft of the proposed minimum procedural standards for…