Characteristics related to the potential strength of state curriculum control policies in California, Florida, New York, and Texas are described in this report. Each of these states has recently strengthened its influence over the high school curriculum. This report examines the strength of the state policies that: (1) define the high school…

This paper provides a synopsis of issues and recommendations regarding school reform, based on discussions held at the 1990 Forum on Emerging Trends in Special Education and Implications for Training Personnel. The paper calls for schools to adopt a collaborative model that infuses special education policies and practices into general education.…

Wisconsin educators and education policymakers participated significantly in the development of the state's Blueprint for Excellence. The Blueprint's 20 standards are an integrated set of minimal expectations brought together for the purpose of making schools more effective for all students. To help school district decisionmakers review activities…

Between 1978 and 1983, Miami-Dade Community College (MDCC) undertook a comprehensive reform of its educational program in order to permit the continuation of the open door, while strengthening expectations and increasing the educational achievement of its graduates. Elements of the reform included the reinstatement of a placement testing program;…

The first section of this report presents an overview of the national response to the report of the National Commission on Excellence in Education, "A Nation at Risk." Responses from the public are cited in the form of quotations from leading publications and results of polls. Responses from the education profession and its national…

Ninth grade results from the April 1989 administration of the New Jersey High School Proficiency Test (HSPT) are reported. Passing the HSPT, which consists of reading, writing, and mathematics sections, is a high school graduation requirement in New Jersey. In 1989, the HSPT was administered to 67,099 ninth, 6,352 10th, 3,018 11th, and 762 12th…

The 1987 High School Transcript Study was designed to provide educational policymakers with information regarding current course offerings and course taking in the nation's secondary schools. As a part of the study, analysis of course-taking patterns of 1987 graduates were compared with data for 1982 graduates. In the fall of 1987, high school…

This minicourse has been designed for counselors to use with "About High School, Book 4" of the Educational Opportunities in Virginia publications. It consists of a sequential series of six 45-minute classroom guidance sessions to be conducted with seventh grade students. The course focuses on helping students, with parent involvement,…

The University of Pennsylvania's foreign language requirement self-study resulted in re-evaluation of the existing language program. It revealed that most freshmen were not exempted from college second language study by standardized test scores and that the university's required courses were not producing the desired results. These findings…

As more states increase the number of credits required for high school graduation, progressively less time is being left for vocational education. To address this problem, many school districts and states are beginning to formulate policies for granting academic credit for basic skills training provided in vocational classrooms. As of 1985, 11…

Alverno College (Wisconsin) defines a curriculum in which all students demonstrate certain major abilities within their disciplines or professional areas, and it assesses those abilities as its primary graduation requirements. The college-wide assessment center has enabled assessment of complex abilities not easily tested through a single course.…

Designed to provide information to the Maryland community colleges for self-improvement and to demonstrate institutional accountability, this report presents a concise summary of measures of student outcomes. Following introductory material on the purposes of the Performance Profile, the principles guiding its development, and the annual update of…

Published in English and Spanish versions and written for migrant high school students, this brochure outlines practical steps to follow to insure high school graduation and encourages migrant students to assume responsibility for meeting graduation requirements. A checklist of 15 items encourages students to ask teachers and counselors questions…

This report summarizes the 1985-86 results for three New York state examination programs--the elementary school Pupil Evaluation Program (PEP) and the high school Regents and Regents Competency Tests. Results on the PEP showed passing rates improved steadily over the last four years. About one-half of New York State's graduating seniors are…

The present-day German Fachhochschulen were established following an agreement on standardization of the Fachhochschule system throughout the Federal Republic of Germany in October 1968. The primary mission of Fachhochschulen is to provide short-term, more practice-related courses with a scientific or artistic basis, particularly in the fields of…