This report on competency testing utilizes a literature review, examines the state of the art to define competencies, and presents information from the field to delineate programmatic and administrative questions and their implications. Information was collected from school districts implementing minimum competency testing (MCT) programs through…

Quality control policies towards Dutch vocational schools have changed dramatically because the government questioned examination quality. Schools must now demonstrate assessment quality to a new Examination Quality Center. Since teachers often design assessments, they must be involved in quality issues. This study therefore explores teachers'…

On July 8, 9 and 10, 1981 the National Institute of Education (NIE) sponsored a "hearing" on minimum competency testing (MCT). The hearing, which was to clarify issues related to MCT, was modeled after adversarial and judicial evaluation approaches. The Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory was responsible for the overall evaluation…

Results of this survey indicate that three important ways to improve high school student achievement are to increase daily attendance, improve study skills, and increase required courses. Two-thirds of the school district administrators responding rated increasing attendance as highly important. Almost half strongly favored increasing required…

The mandated minimum competency programs of two states--Pennsylvania and Maryland--are examined, and some of the effects on school districts of raising the testing stakes are reviewed. In a survey conducted during the winter of 1986-87 in Pennsylvania and Maryland, one teacher, one principal, and one central office staff member each from 277…

This combined discussion guide and questionnaire, intended for public or professional audiences, consists of three major sections. The first section is a narrative background description of major issues, options, and arguments for minimum competency testing: Will you test minimum competencies? What competencies will you require? How will you…

Two reports on the current status and future trends of state assessment programs are presented. Among the results summarized for 1977-1978 and also presented in chart form for the 41 states which administer testing programs are: 19 programs are mandated by state legislatures; 22 programs test all students in the grades or ages assessed;…

This study was undertaken to further document content validity and to provide evidence of construct validity of the National Teacher Examinations (NTE) Core Battery, using an alternative strategy. This strategy involved identifying the important job functions and professional knowledge areas of teachers. A multi-method approach was used to…