To meet statewide graduation requirements and receive a diploma, Pennsylvania high school students now need to demonstrate career or postsecondary preparedness through graduation requirements outlined in Pennsylvania's Act 158, which went into effect starting with the Class of 2023. Two of the five graduation pathways--the Keystone proficiency and…

This report examines the implementation and outcomes of personalized, competency-based learning in the Arizona Personalized Learning Network (AZPLN) districts. The study conducted by Research for Action (RFA) analyzed survey data from students and teachers, as well as publicly available school-level outcomes data to assess the progress and impact…

In the 127th Maine State Legislative Session, "An Act to Implement Certain Recommendations of the Maine Proficiency Education Council" (S.P. 660 -- L.D. 1627) was passed into law as Chapter 489. This amended the chaptered law passed in 2012, "An Act to Prepare Maine People for the Future Economy" (S.P.439 -- L.D.1422),…

Between 2015 and 2019, Holyoke Public Schools in Massachusetts cut its dropout rate nearly in half and increased its graduation rate by 10 percentage points, with notable gains among historically marginalized student groups. The district cites Opportunity Academy (OA), an alternative education program within the district's high school, as a key…

Charter school Alternative Education Campuses (AECs) leverage the nimbleness of the charter school model to create unique learning opportunities nationwide for students who experience challenges that make it difficult to excel academically. Some of the challenges include homelessness, pregnancy, parenting while in school, or interaction with the…

Beginning in the late 1990s, many states took it upon themselves to institute end-of-course exams (EOCs) at the high school level, tests specifically designed to assess students' mastery of the content that various subject-matter courses covered. But was this testing policy good for students? "End-of-Course Exams and Student Outcomes,"…

Results of a national survey on state postsecondary regulations concerning the use of competency or other tests required of college students in the course of their undergraduate programs as a check on academic standards, and the impetus for such a requirement, are reported. The policies of Georgia, Florida, and California are highlighted. (MSE)

In the first decade of the 21st century, the nation, the states, and colleges and universities began to grapple with the challenges of globalization, changing demography, the implications of the digital era, and of a less expansive public sector. Although not a transformative period for higher education, the decade saw significant innovations in…

This publication provides information about the education program requirements of the state board of education and the state statutes, together with suggested school district guidelines. Its three major purposes are to present the revised Minimum Standards for Public Schools adopted by the board in December of 1974, to specify criteria used to…

In May, 1991, the North Carolina State Board of Education, as part of the Quality Assurance Program, established a computer proficiency requirement for graduation that was then modified in 1995 and made effective beginning with the graduating class of 2001. Students who were in the eighth grade during the 1996-97 school year and thereafter must…

Peoria's efforts with the development and implications of a Minimum Competency Testing (MCT) program are described, including the program model used, numbers of high school seniors and seventh graders who passed the pilot test sequence, and views on the advantages, disadvantages, and effectiveness of the MCT program. (Editor/SJL)

The University of Wisconsin-Parkside's comprehensive collegiate skills program is described from proposal to implementation. Junior year students must demonstrate competence in: writing, reading, mathematics, research paper writing, and library skills. (MLW)

Many states are turning to minimum-competency testing at the secondary school level. Although at least 17 states have enacted legislation that sets minimum-competency standards for graduation from public high schools, the basic skills testing movement at the postsecondary level is still in its infancy. (MLW)

The purpose of this document is to present to school personnel, parents, students, and other interested citizens the board rules and administrative procedures required to implement state legislative and local board pupil progression requirements. Sections of the document cover general procedures for promotions and assignments; promotion and…

The effort to institute minimum competency testing (MCT) is nearly universal despite the need to debate its basic definitions, implications, and consequences beforehand. There are seven distinct reasons for the MCT movement: (1) legislative zeal; (2) unfavorable allegations by local and national press; (3) economic accountability; (4) the…