In the 1980s, equity concerns will come into conflict with efficiency concerns in school financing. This paper attempts to trace the changing nature of these concerns during the 1970s and to suggest trends for education financing in the 1980s. The first section discusses equity issues related to state school finance reforms and suggests that…

One provision of the Ryan Act, a legislative move intended to improve teacher training programs in California, was the requirement that all teacher candidates be examined for competence in both speaking and oral reading. To ascertain how shools of higher education across that state were dealing with this provision, a questionnaire was sent to 38…

This conference on competency based mathematics education was held in response to inquiries from mathematics teachers, curriculum directors, principals, and district administrators. Topics include: (1) What is competency based education; (2) The status of competency based education; (3) The process for developing a system of competency based…

The Nebraska Assessment Battery of Essential Learning Skills (N-ABELS) is a goal-oriented instrument with an evaluation component providing a basis for determining acquisition of twelve skills defined as learning goals. Each goal is stated in terms of an acceptable performance standard which clearly describes what the student must do. The skills…

This guide has been developed to help teachers plan programs that meet both individual and common needs of all students in personal finance education. It defines the skills and knowledge necessary to function as an intelligent consumer in our complex and rapidly changing economic order. The guide has been developed around five basic concepts:…

Presented are the Canadian national standards for programs training Level I and Level II personnel to work with mentally and developmentally handicapped children and adults within the community. Stressed are the principle of normalization and the prevention of institutionalization as part of the long range plan to develop comprehensive community…

Political and educational consequences of standard setting for criterion-referenced tests are discussed. Suggestions for setting standards are given. (JKS)

Competency testing is only one component of competency-based education (CBE); the others are: educational objectives, instructional process, remedial instruction, and program evaluation/reconceptualization. To implement only competency testing may result in disillusionment with the entire concept of CBE, which seeks to improve programs, not fail…

While minimum competency testing may cause education to become less pluralistic, its effect will weigh most heavily upon those who fail to pass the tests. Because such testing does nothing to improve teaching or learning, one result will be to hold the student responsible for the educational system's failure. (Author/GC)

Six sets of emerging issues that could involve specific students and classroom situations are discussed here: class suspensions and due process, class rules and teacher inconsistency, classroom equality of opportunity, competency testing, classification of students, and classroom management in alternative schools. (Author)

Documents the attempts of the Legislative Committee of the South Carolina State Council of the International Reading Association to influence minimal competency testing legislation. (MKM)

Suggests sources of information on minimum competencies and minimal competency testing, including publications and conference proceedings, policy statements from professional organizations, and resource lists available from various organizations. (MKM)

There is a great deal to think about in a minimum competency program: What competencies? How to measure? When to measure? One minimum or many? How high the minimum? Minimums for students or for schools? What to do with the incompetent? (Author/IRT)

The purpose of this proficiency legislation is to create a public dialogue regarding high school graduation standards, restore meaning to the high school diploma, and ensure that students who have difficulty with basic skills receive appropriate instruction. (Author/IRT)

Describes Oregon's experience with developing and implementing new requirements for high school graduation, based on minimum competency standards defined by local school districts. (JG)