Suggestions for the development of a national perspective on the place of functional communication competencies in the speech communication curriculum are presented in this paper. The first section of the paper describes current trends in functional communication curriculum development, including the theoretical perspectives underlying various…

Sections 51215-51217 of California's Educational Code require that school districts in that state provide remedial instruction to students who do not pass district-developed proficiency tests. As a result of this requirement, school districts have had to create remedial courses for some 100,000 students who did not pass one or more tests in…

Virtually every school system is concerned with two educational considerations: (1) where the students are academically, and (2) how to get the students to a particular set of points. Minimum competency testing has been proposed as one way to handle these concerns. Competency testing has, however, been criticized for encouraging "teaching to…

Teachers in the Henry County Public School System (Tennessee) developed and wrote over 80 course syllabi for most subject areas taught in grades 7-12 for a Teacher Corps demonstration project. The intent of the project was to inform students and parents of specific requirements in each subject at each grade level. This outline is written for a…

Policy-making problems being faced in Louisiana regarding the testing of handicapped students within a state mandated minimum competency testing program are dealt with. The decision-making process is complicated by the fact that two groups (staff administering the test and staff administering programs for the handicapped) with differing…

This pilot edition provides current information to local educators on the Spring 1981 Basic Skills Tests. Input forms are included as a means of obtaining information from district level curriculum coordinators and teachers on the utility of this guide. The guide is designed to be a tool for curriculum and instructional development consistent with…

The Connecticut Science Teachers Association has identified science competencies for students completing grades 4, 8 and 12 in Connecticut schools for use by school districts as a guide for curriculum assessment and development. This list is not to be used as an instrument for testing and evaluation but should provide a reference for…

Licensing and certifying boards cannot be effective without a definition of the meaning of competence in psychology, particularly as this concept is used in psychotherapy. Research has shown that reliance on academic credentials to define competence is not the answer. Most definitions of pyschotherapy are too broad and vague, and consensus about…

This guide presents lesson plans for remedial writing classes for students who have failed the New York Regents Competency or Preliminary Competency Test in Writing. The guide consists of four units that cover: (1) organizing and reporting skills; (2) more advanced report writing skills; (3) persuasion; and (4) the persuasive essay based upon…

This report describes the Minimum Competencies Assurance Program (Min Comp) conducted in Seattle, Washington, public schools in 1979-80, and presents the results of a survey administered to school principals and program managers to assess the program's operation and effectiveness. Survey results cover several areas including: (1) the…

Although isolating the degree of association that exists between a teacher's specific knowledge and his or her particular classroom performance is extremely difficult at best, that is the focus of the knowledge and performance based instruments used in the evaluation of preservice English teachers in the University of Georgia teacher education…

To help school officials avoid litigation, this newsletter examines two separate issues: student competency testing and educational choice. The authors propose objective certification--in which student achievement is described solely by objective, defensible scores--as a way to avoid the possible injury to students inherent in competency testing.…

Results of the Tennessee Basic Skills Test administered statewide to more than 64,000 grade 8 pupils in April 1980 demonstrate that achievement of pupils with kindergarten background is superior to that of non-kindergarten pupils in mathematics, spelling, language, and reading. The effect was greater for mathematics and language than for reading…

The bibliography lists approximately 150 educational materials designed for remedial instruction with secondary students working at levels below their grade placement and having difficulty in passing the state-required competency tests. Entries include information on title, author, publisher, date, price, difficulty and interest levels, and brief…

A good applied performance test (APT) concentrates on measurable objectives which are relevant for today's society in general, for the local community, and for the students. APTs should be valid, objective/reliable, straightforward in format, simple to understand, and able to maintain student interest. Scoring procedures should be standardized and…