The authors argue that the ongoing research by the National Academies, the National Research Council, and the National Science Foundation are imperative. The findings and recommendations on what the school systems of America must do to develop specific educational programming will position the U.S. at the forefront of the world's economies if…

Reviews the accomplishments, goals, and problems of the commission during its first ten years. (IRT)

The costs and benefits of recent statewide and nationwide educational assessment programs are examined. The purpose of this paper is to present and substantiate some critical lessons and observations concerning: how the costs and benefits of large-scale assessments (LSAs) can be appraised, and the utility of this type of research to policymakers…

The proposed activities of the Office of Research and Evaluation of the Austin (Texas) Independent School District in 1990-91 are outlined. Evaluations and other major projects focus on: (1) externally funded projects; (2) systemwide achievement testing; and (3) systemwide evaluation. Twelve evaluations will assess the impact of programs and…

Examines current reforms in early childhood education, and the nature and scope of changes in the care and education of children since the 1960s. Emphasizes the need for: (1) coherent child and family policy in the United States; (2) appropriate curricula for children of different ages; (3) establishment of a federal office of early childhood…

This set of briefing materials is designed to provide policymakers at the federal and state levels, journalists, and others with a quick overview of youth apprenticeship in the United States today. Chapter 1 describes what youth apprenticeship is. A map showing the beginnings of a nationwide youth apprenticeship system is provided. Chapter 2 on…

The thesis of this paper is that achievement tests have changed their primary function from serving as indicators of educational accomplishments to becoming instruments of educational policy, and have thus come to be regarded as effective means of altering educational achievement and productivity. This assertion is explored by using examples of…

In 1991, the Kansas Association of School Boards began a program called Quest for Quality. The program is based on the belief that public schools must adjust to changes in children, families, communities, and economic and political conditions in the nation and the world. Quest for Quality also reaffirms the American school system's responsiveness…

This report presents a plan for an Educational Assessment and Accountability System for Hawaii. The purpose of this plan is to provide an analytical as well as a descriptive account of the condition of public education in Hawaii. It is meant to be a vehicle to provide the means by which educational outcomes can be examined in light of contextual…

An attempt is made to summarize the perspectives and relevant experience of state-level higher education leadership in responding to the proposals for national assessment resulting from Goal V, Objective 5, of the National Education Goals, which calls for improvement in the critical thinking, ability to communicate, and problem-solving ability of…

The paper reviews previous research studies and conferences which have dealt with the question of whether large-scale testing programs are effective. It is concluded that such programs, defined as efforts to determine the status of student achievement on a school, district, state, or national basis, are not serving the informational needs of the…

This report presents findings of the National Academy of Education Panel on the Evaluation of the Trial State Assessment (TSA) concerning the 1990 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) mathematics TSA program. The Panel's recommendations regarding the continuation of TSAs for review by the Congress, states, and Executive Branch of the…

For a national program assessing college graduates to succeed, it must be institutionalized at the majority of colleges and universities in the nation. The information generated must play a clear and key role in formulating state and institutional higher education policy, college matriculation standards, and degree-granting decisions. Such an…

Utilizing data derived from a national survey of state support of adult education and regional Futures and Amendments meetings, this report on the results of the Adult Education Act examines the scope and character of the federal-state grant adult education program. The content is in three sections: (1) discussion of the Futures and Amendments…

The principal aim of Australia's Distance Learning for Inservice Teacher Education (DLITE) Project has been to develop a proposal and knowledge base for the development of a cooperative national policy for the application of distance learning to inservice teacher education in Australia. This report provides background information on the state of…