A VISIT TO 200 FRENCH SCHOOLS AND DISCUSSIONS WITH MANY STUDENTS AND SOME 500 TEACHERS SERVED AS THE BASIS OF THIS REVIEW OF THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF FRENCH SECONDARY EDUCATION. COMMENTARIES AND EXAMPLES ARE GIVEN OF HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS, REPORT CARDS, AND STUDENT AND TEACHER SCHEDULES. THE THREE "CHANNELS" OF STUDY OPEN TO STUDENTS AT…

Seven guidelines for setting minimum competency standards for high school graduation are presented: (1) Competency standards for the diploma should be developed by a process that gives major attention to the needs of students yet recognizes an institutions's responsibility to societal needs. (2) Competency standards should be developed using good…

This information package has been designed for teachers, administrators, school boards, and legislators who are interested in exploring the area of competency based education (CBE). The first section briefly reviews why there is interest in CBE, how it is currently defined, and some of the major issues it raises (including definition of what…

In 1971, the History, Government, and Geography Service of the Division of Secondary Education, Virginia State Department of Education, conducted a survey of social studies programs, kindergarten through grade twelve, in the fifty states. The responses from forty-one of the fifty states are presented in alphabetical order. For each grade level in…

Describes statewide results on minimum competency testing (MCT) programs newly implemented in Texas, and discusses initial efforts to predict the impact of a specific statewide MCT program on retention and graduation in Houston. Suggests that the new MCT requirements, by discouraging high risk students who previously might have stayed in school,…

The use of competency-based transcripts is favored over differentiated diplomas to designate differences in student performance. Issues discussed surrounding the use of differentiated diplomas for high school graduation include the actual importance of functional literacy level for job success, the failure of prospective employers to verify…

The question is not, Will religious controversy hit your school? but rather, Will you be adequately grounded in knowledge about the law when it does? As communities have become more culturally diverse, the number of disagreements regarding the role and place of religion in schools has increased. Consequently, every principal must know the current…

Challenge to Lead sets ambitious goals to help states ask the right questions to improve student access to college through better alignment of the policies that govern the transition from high school to college and careers. To help answer them, this special report provides a one-page summary of each SREB state's policies, programs and requirements…

The New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA) requested that the Institute for Higher Education Policy evaluate the outcomes of the state's Outstanding Scholar Recruitment Program (OSRP). In particular, HESAA asked that the Institute determine the program's effectiveness in increasing the enrollment and retention of…

This student handbook helps students in grades 6 and 7 to prepare for high school and college. It urges them to plan now so that they can get on the right track and take the classes they need. The handbook encourages these students to discover their strengths, weaknesses, interests, and abilities to learn how they can prepare them for their…

America's standard of living and international competitiveness will be strengthened if its high schools are improved. Research indicates that about 75 percent of America's state prison inmates, almost 59 percent of federal inmates, and 69 percent of jail inmates did not complete high school. Additionally, the number of prison inmates without a…

"Alabama Education News" is published monthly except for June, July, and December by the Alabama Department of Education. This publication, authorized by Section 16-2-4 of the "Code of Alabama", as recompiled in 1975, is a public service of the Alabama Department of Education designed to inform citizens and educators about…

This present study examined the intended and unintended consequences of Minnesota's high stakes graduation exam on students with disabilities. Historically, little empirical data have been collected and the scant data available suggest some significant unintended consequences for educational accountability systems (e.g., the retention of students…

Indigenous engagement with vocational education and training (VET) has improved significantly, but successful Indigenous completion rates are lower nationally when compared to the overall population. This report, based on an action research project, examines intra-institutional factors at four Queensland TAFE (technical and further education)…

This study set out to explore the mechanisms for educating court-involved youth in Chicago, learn about the available educational options, and the barriers, if any, these young people face when continuing in or returning to school. A key finding is that educational options in Chicago that are designed expressly for court-involved youth who are…