A decade after Kinsey published his famous studies on sexuality, a special legislative committee in Florida targeted gay and lesbian teachers in an investigation that led to the dismissal and loss of credentials for scores of educators. The Florida purge of 1959-1964 remains without parallel in educational history in terms of its intensity and…

Conclusions about levels and trends in high school dropout differ dramatically depending on whether dropout is measured using data from the Current Population Survey (CPS) or from the Common Core of Data (CCD). Using CPS- and CCD-based drop-out measures for 16- to 19-year-olds--which differ solely in their estimates of the number of 16- to…

Across the country, cities and regions have used community-wide partnerships to improve the educational attainment of their citizens. The most established of these partnerships have seen substantial education gains during their tenure. The community of Louisville, Kentucky has embarked on a similar effort to improve educational attainment. Nearly…

While the research, theory and policy literature on race, class and gender discrimination in education is extensive, the problem of education-based discrimination itself has been widely overlooked. Indeed, the dominant ideologies of meritocracy and human capital (into which we are inculcated throughout our lives by schools, media and the state)…

A discussion of exploratory research data which tends to point to a significant finding: videotaped credentials will (when used in conjunction with written information) influence hiring officials' opinions in the hiring process. (Author/HB)

Employers who responded to a questionnaire indicated that the placement credentials of a job applicant were important to their employment decisions and expressed a preference for confidential recommendations from professors of the students' major field of study. (Author)

This fact sheet examines several issues in counselor and counseling program accountability. Issues in counselor accountability include credentialing, professional disclosure, documentation of activities, and linkage with outcomes. Program accountability issues involve stakeholders, availability of resources, documentation of activities, linkage…

This publication is a compilation of keynote addresses and workshop presentations given at a national conference on the Child Development Associate (CDA) program held in conjunction with the 1979 annual meeting of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The document is divided into eleven sections. Each section…

Essays contained in this document present a direction for policy and problemsolving in the realm of postsecondary education. The essays cover: (1) the "new" domain of postsecondary education, (2) the growth and financing of postsecondary education, (3) a lottery system for higher education, (4) credentialism, (5) campus disaffection, (6) the…

This report asks what are the characteristics a person should possess before being admitted to practice as a professional, how and by whom are those characteristics identified, and how are they measured. It identifies and selects certain criteria common to all professionals; then it details various aspects involved in assessment and certification.…

All societies have procedures for selecting who will occupy important positions. The use of credentials characterizes our system of social selection, and our worship of them has created the following problems: an artificial demand for education, artificial restraints to learning, the overlooking of obsolescence, generational inversion (wherein the…

This booklet is concerned with the Interstate Agreement on Qualification of Educational Personnel, under which school professionals educated or experienced in one state could have their qualifications recognized in many other states without any red tape or delay. Contracts among state education authorities would provide enough similarity in…

Explains the issue of qualifying university technical assistance providers. Addresses the differences among universities, businesses, and governmental organizations. Recommends specific practices directed toward the ultimate goal of improving university-based technical assistance and service. (CH)

Explores issues related to testing and certification of social workers and discusses the National Association of Social Workers' experience in the assessment of competence. Explores formulation of definitions, determination of standards, and construction of quality instruments. (JAC)

Noting the need for improved professionalism in adult education, the author argues against the use of traditional university degree programs for teacher certification and outlines an alternative plan based on competency based criteria that would be applied by a national professional association. (JT)