Ways to improve undergraduate education are suggested, based on the work of the Study Group on the Conditions of Excellence in American Higher Education. After considering shared values and long-term goals for American higher education, attention is directed to both the achievements and problems of colleges. Major themes are that student…

Intended to serve as the basis for program and service planning in the Kern Community College District (KCCD) through the turn of the century, this report provides an analysis of internal and external conditions likely to affect the planning process. First, introductory material discusses strategic planning, the mission of the KCCD, assumptions,…

The papers in this compilation address excellence in vocational education from the perspectives of four educational levels--secondary, postsecondary, adult, and teacher education. The implications of the recent national study reports on education are examined for each level, and standards of excellence and recommendations for action are suggested.…

Learning improvement programs for underprepared postsecondary students are reviewed, and a Decision Guide for Effective Programs, which summarizes knowledge needed for decision making, is presented. Research data are analyzed to identify features of learning improvement programs associated with improved grade point average and retention.…

This volume outlines the requirements and content of a second-year course in allied health occupations education that is intended to provide students with a practical understanding of the work done by medical laboratory technicians and technologists. Addressed in the individual units of the course are the following topics: the value of…

The study was intended to determine the basis of intra- and interstate credit transfer for migrant students and how credit transfer can be improved. The Secretaries of Education Committees in State Legislatures and Departments of Education in Puerto Rico and all states except California responded to an open-ended survey. Over 80% of all states…

This report attempts to remedy the neglect of educational equality in recent educational reports by discussing both the educational status of black Americans and recent policy trends as they affect black students. Following an overview, trends in income and employment, family characteristics, and the degree of social mobility are discussed as a…

In this review of college admission practices, four areas are analyzed: (1) changing patterns of admission standards and practices and factors that have influenced those changes during the past 25 years; (2) importance assigned to high school achievement, test scores, and other criteria in arriving at admission decisions; (3) influence of college…

Recommendations to improve quality in undergraduate study while maintaining access are offered that would involve statewide entry and exit standards and better preparation of students to meet the standards. Evidence suggests that an estimated 40 to 50 percent of entering freshmen will be referred to remedial education, and colleges may be granting…

A technical advisory committee assisted the Alabama State Department of Education in establishing passing scores and equating test forms of the Alabama High School Graduation Examination (AHSGE). The committee examined four methods of setting cutting scores: (1) Jensen's theoretical method--probability theory is used to set standards that are…

Compulsory province-wide grade 12 examinations, administered in Alberta since 1906, were dropped in 1973; teachers were given the responsibility of assigning final grades. To assess the quality of education since then, a 1976 survey examined: (1) current grade 12 evaluation policies and practices; (2) whether or not grading has changed in the past…

Recognizing the lack of public confidence in the schools, public officials and educators should discuss the proper use and limitations of competency testing and the implementation of national tests. Competency tests should be used for diagnosis, for certifying that students possess basic skills, and for public awareness. They should not be the…

A variety of viewpoints were represented in this symposium for chief state school officials and senior staff of state departments of education. Russell Vlaanderen, Education Commission of the States, opened with a national overview: "The Policy Implications of Minimum Competency Testing: The Case of the Standardized Student." Attorney…

Grade inflation is discussed, and some solutions are offered for the grade inflation problem which exists in the Faculty of Education at the University of Victoria, British Columbia. Examples illustrate the existence of grade inflation at several colleges and universities, as well as at the high school level. Various reactions--involving college…

Based on the premise that there is substantial correlation between the goals and objectives of career education and experiential education (learning activities outside the normal classroom), four themes are developed: A typology of experiential education and community involvement practices, an overview of selected exemplary experiential education…