The authors review the background of competency-based education (CBE), discuss its merits and drawbacks, and cite recommendations from the National Association of Secondary School Principals. (DS)

L. Cronbach has made the point that for validity arguments to be convincing to diverse audiences, they need to be based on assumptions that are credible to these audiences. The interpretations and uses of high stakes test scores rely on a number of policy assumptions about what should be taught in schools, and more specifically, about the content…

This document is intended to help mathematics teachers prepare students for the "exit exam of essential skills" required by the new Student Accountability Standards enacted by the North Carolina State Board of Education. Unlike current End of Grade and End of Course tests, the North Carolina High School Exit Exam (NCHSEE) focuses on…

The Kentucky Department of Education's Postsecondary Design establishes school and program admission requirements with adequate educational opportunities and alternatives for those who do not meet these admission requirements. The design recognizes that all components of the curriculum contribute to the educational program of the institution. Each…

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…

Proficiency, or competency, testing is a recent attempt to meet the public demand for accountability. But instead of placing the responsibility on the educational organization, competency testing appears to be a sophisticated approach to holding students and teachers accountable. Although some form of student assessment is needed, it is not yet…

This publication is designed to assist local school districts and other educational agencies in implementing career education in Idaho. Career education is part of a comprehensive education program and should not be conceived as a time segment of education such as vocational education or academic education. The basic educational objectives should…

This report describes the Body of Evidence approach taken in Wyoming to implement standards-based graduation. The Body of Evidence plan calls for more than a single test to justify issuing a high school diploma. Graduation requirement rules, known as Chapter 31 rules, establish the requirements for a diploma. The body of evidence is to be…

This paper examines the results of a national study on the current status of state graduation policies and diploma options for youth with disabilities. It examines state policies in relation to their intended benefits as well as possible unintended consequences, and compared the findings with a similar study conducted by Johnson and Thurlow in…

In response to public demands for better-quality high school graduates and to requirements of No Child Left Behind legislation, states have developed a variety of policies such as high-stakes exit exams and diploma options. Additionally, under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997, students with disabilities must be…

This handbook is designed to help Utah educators implement student assessment procedures that are in harmony with the State graduation requirements of 1984, which identify implementation and assessment of student achievement as the responsibilities of local boards of education. The State graduation requirements and programs of study allow…

Project Basic is a program developed by the Maryland State Department of Education to assure that students attain basic skills in a variety of areas. Two levels of tests are given in grade 7 to monitor progress, and in grades 9 to 12 to determine whether each student has met the state minimum competency level. Students must pass the higher level…

This brief overview of minimum competency testing and disabled high school students discusses: the inclusion or exclusion of handicapped students in minimum competency testing programs; approaches to accommodating the individual needs of handicapped students; and legal issues. Surveys of states that have mandated minimum competency tests indicate…

Intended for use by school administrators, guidance counselors, teachers, and proctors, this manual contains general information on Regents examinations and competency tests. Specifically, the regulations and procedures for ordering, administering, rating, and reporting results of these examinations are described. Information is also included…

The interview with the social studies coordinator for the Minnesota Department of Education discusses development of a competence-based graduation test, definitions of "selected educational learner outcomes" (SELOs), relationship of Minnesota's SELOs to national standards, and problems of testing skills and attitudes. (AV)