Argues for the value of high-quality minimum competency testing (MCT) programs in efforts to restore honesty to public school promotion practices. Lists the seven characteristics of a good program and discusses the effects of MCT on students, on curriculum and teaching, and on public perceptions of schooling. (Author/WD)

Connecticut's Education Enhancement Act provides for a network of support and assessment programs that represent a comprehensive effort to attract and retain highly qualified teachers. The CONNCEPT program is regarded as the foundation piece of the Enhancement Act. The centerpiece of this program is the Connecticut Competency Examination For…

Results of the Tennessee Basic Skills Test administered statewide to more than 64,000 grade 8 pupils in April 1980 demonstrate that achievement of pupils with kindergarten background is superior to that of non-kindergarten pupils in mathematics, spelling, language, and reading. The effect was greater for mathematics and language than for reading…

Reviewing the current justifications for minimum competency testing (MCT) programs, the author finds them inadequate. He asks whether reading, writing, and computation skills can be proven necessary for a successful life and whether MCT programs can be demonstrated to be the best means of promoting students' living skills. (SJL)

In the Louisiana Basic Skills Testing (BST) program, initiated in 1982, criterion-referenced tests of language arts and mathematics were administered to all second grade students. Longitudinal data over three years tracked four cohorts of students to address when retention appears to be most effective and whether a combination of repeated…

Discussed are the procedures implemented in the Orleans Parish Schools in response to the Louisiana state-mandated promotional testing program (Act 750, 1979), and concerns regarding its value. Recent findings raise fundamental questions about whether an exclusively skills-focused curriculum in the early years provides the needed grounding in…

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)

This report describes the design of an implementation evaluation of the Massachusetts Basic Skills Improvement Policy, to be conducted during 1982-83. The Policy and Regulations were enacted in 1978-79 when school districts were required to develop basic skills improvement plans. In 1980-81 districts were required to implement their plans.…

In 1978, the South Carolina state legislature passed Act 631, resulting in the mandated Basic Skills Assessment Program (BSAP) to improve the quality of instruction in the areas of reading, writing, and mathematics. This report is the documentation of a 1-year Southeastern Public Education Program project, the Basic Skills Assessment…

A program is described for the evaluation of the basic skills policy of the State Board of Education in Massachusetts. The 1978 policy of the Board is to take effect in 1980-81 and will require annual assessment of student skills at three grade levels in all schools in five curriculum areas, but leaves the setting of standards to local option.…

Ribault (Florida) Senior High School has reported a dramatic increase in student achievement levels since implementing a comprehensive college preparation curriculum. Among the program changes that contributed to those gains are: (1) the establishment and consistent enforcement of a strong discipline program, including rules for student conduct, a…

This document sets forth detailed curriculum objectives and an associated three-phase promotion testing program for grades 3, 6, and 8 for public schools in the state of North Carolina. The program was administered for the first time in 1986. The 1987 testing program began with administration of the California Achievement Tests (CAT). Students…

Issues associated with minimum competency testing are discussed: the national, state, and local context for MCT program development; MCT's potential impact; the use and development of MCT programs; and reactions to the testing programs. Presently, the federal role is described as limited to providing information, research support, and technical…

The Knoxville City Schools (KCS) Proficiency Project ran from fall 1984 to spring 1987 in three Knoxville, Tennessee, middle schools and three high schools. Students in three of the eight KCS high schools were scoring consistently lower than pupils in the other schools on the grade 9 State Proficiency Test, especially in math (M) and language arts…

As part of Louisiana's minimum competency program, the Basic Skills Test (BST) was administered in grades 2 through 5. Student promotion rates in these grades between 1980 and 1985 were examined. Results showed that, in all four grades, the percentage of students retained to repeat the grade increased slightly. The BST was the main, but not the…