This report examines the development of school choice policies as an element of educational reform, describes open enrollment as one form of school choice, outlines other types of school choice programs, describes Minnesota's various forms of educational choice, explores arguments for and against choice, and discusses issues and concerns for…

A survey was conducted of 82 rural parents of students with disabilities or giftedness on the topic of open enrollment. The survey examined demographic characteristics, sources of information, reasons for transfer, and changes in parental involvement with schools. Most of the rural students with special educational needs who chose to participate…

In 1993 the Western Illinois University and Illinois State Board of Education Satellite Education Network broadcast a series of 10 half-hour instructional programs focused on mathematics inservice training for Illinois school teachers in grades 5-8 and 9-12. Project funding came from the Eisenhower Mathematics and Science Education Program through…

This document provides a framework for the development of sustained and coordinated activities to support Kentucky teachers in learning the new roles and ways of teaching envisioned in the Kentucky Educational Reform Act. The report begins with a discussion of the context of reform, which is seen as consisting of two realities: new expectations…

Results of standardized tests taken by students in the Austin (Texas) Independent School District are reported. Emphasis is on tests developed for the state of Texas, but results from other standardized tests are also reported. In October 1990, 22,443 students in grades 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 took the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS),…

This paper describes a successful facilitator training model, developed as part of an Adult Basic/Continuing Education (AB/CE) staff development program in Minnesota. The following topics are included: (1) the new basics and what is taught in the Minnesota AB/CE programs; (2) how these new basics are taught, emphasizing Malcolm Knowles' model of…

The community service/continuing education (CS/CE) departments at Michigan's 29 community colleges have developed a network of joint programming in order to share and duplicate successful programs across the state. This process has been sponsored through the Michigan Community College Community Services Association (MCCCSA), which was founded in…

A student flow model is presented to raise the awareness of administrators and community leaders regarding the impact of proposed testing requirements in the state of Florida; i.e., the addition of a State Student Assessment Test (SSAT) of functional literacy, a statewide college entry level test, and the College Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST)…

This report presents the results of the fourth testing cycle of the Texas Assessment of Basic Skills (TABS), a statewide basic skills test for students in grades 3 and 5 and in high school (exit level) of the Austin Independent School District (AISD). The TABS measures basic performance objectives in mathematics, reading, and writing. The general…

Issues surrounding the statewide competency testing of at-risk students are discussed. Sanctions, such as negative evaluations of educational programs associated with such tests, used to fall most heavily on schools and staff, but tests are increasingly becoming prerequisites for promotion and graduation, with increasing impact on students.…

The 23 articles in this theme issue focus on various aspects of library services to business in an information economy: "Serving Business in an Information Economy" (C. Bain); "New York's Resurging Economy and State Economic Development Information" (R. G. Paolino); "Department of Economic Development Library: Services to…

The South Carolina Basic Skills Assessment Program (BSAP) measures 16 basic skills objectives as mandated by legislation enacted in 1978. The BSAP Reading and Mathematics Tests were administered April 17 through 21, 1989. The tests for grades 1, 2, 3, 6, and 8 consisted of 6 multiple-choice questions for each of the 11 objectives in reading and…

The MAT-6 Writing Test (The Psychological Corporation, 1986) was administered to Oklahoma students in grades 7 and 10 in February 1989, in compliance with state law. The inception, implementation procedures, assessment instruments, and results of the Writing Assessment Component of the Oklahoma School Testing Program are described. District-level…

Tennessee initiated a Career Ladder Program for teachers in July 1984. The program is designed to recruit, retain, and reward outstanding teachers. Teachers who obtain upper career ladder status receive financial rewards ranging from 2,000 to 7,000 dollars per year. This status is achieved by participation in a comprehensive evaluation process.…

In December 1993, children who were in grade 3 in the Trenton Public Schools (New Jersey) in 1985-86 will take a high-risk writing proficiency test to determine whether they will graduate from high school. An emerging study of the writing of the Class of 1995 in Trenton is described as students move toward that test. The activity of studying…