The issue of whether high school and postsecondary students with native language communication deficits can succeed in second language study is discussed. It is noted that before World War II, language education was considered primarily a good form of mental discipline. More recent trends toward "relevant" language learning have emphasized…

This paper compares descriptive information based on analyses of the pilot and live administrations of the Alabama High School Graduation Examination (AHSGE). The AHSGE, a product of decisions made in 1977 and 1984 by the Alabama State Board of Education, is composed of subject tests in reading, mathematics, and language. The pass score for each…

Teacher attitudes toward the high school proficiency test were identified through a 15-question survey distributed to 39 secondary school teachers representing various demographic school populations. The subjects were selected from five graduate education classes and a small city high school. The median number of years of teaching experience was…

Ohio Dominican College in Columbus is proud of its success in the graduation of African American students. While major resources have been expended at many institutions to enroll these students, graduation rates leave much to be desired. In the fall of 1990, the Lilly Foundation began to sponsor efforts to improve the graduation rates of African…

This paper reviews the literature on educational reform, especially in relation to special education and students with disabilities. It reviews 10 reports published since 1983 that identified issues in educational reform. Observations include: regular education reformers have not adequately addressed the issues of students with disabilities;…

This report provides statistical data and charts concerning trends in undergraduate medical education over the past decade. It presents trends in grade point averages (GPAs); in Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores for premedical school applicants and matriculants; and provides information on applicant and matriculant characteristics,…

This publication summarizes the responses of the State University of New York constituent institutions to the 1991 Attrition/Retention Survey (91-10) administered by the Central Office of Institutional Research. It includes racial/ethnic detail and partial history of later cohorts as of fall 1991 along with trends in attrition and retention of…

The impact of large-scale testing on curriculum policies at district and school levels and on science teaching at the classroom level was studied for British Columbia (Canada). Other factors affecting teaching practices were considered. In 1983, the Province reintroduced centrally set and graded province-wide examinations for grade 12, following a…

This study utilizes student enrollment data often available to institutional researchers in order to predict and explain time to degree. The population for the study included all 1992 bachelors degree graduates (n=868) of a state-supported comprehensive university in the Southeast. Block multiple regression based upon Astin's…

The mandated minimum competency programs of two states--Pennsylvania and Maryland--are examined, and some of the effects on school districts of raising the testing stakes are reviewed. In a survey conducted during the winter of 1986-87 in Pennsylvania and Maryland, one teacher, one principal, and one central office staff member each from 277…

Information on the status of Rhode Island public schools is provided in the form of educational indicators of three types: (1) education outcomes; (2) community context; and (3) policies and practices. Education outcomes are student testing and other measures of student success. Included are student results on the Metropolitan Achievement Test,…

An overview of the nature, benefits, and steps involved in Colorado's Guaranteed Graduate Program, a process that assures that high school graduates have the knowledge and skills considered essential for entry into employment and postsecondary education, begins this document. A discussion of the portfolio process follows, along with descriptions…

This research examined the results from direct and indirect writing assessments to determine the most effective method of discrimination. The New Jersey State Department of Education developed a test for ninth-grade students which was designed to measure the ability to apply writing mechanics to written text and to communicate effectively in…

This document reports the findings of a study designed to identify vocational education cross-credit offerings in Connecticut's comprehensive high schools; the policies and procedures regarding cross-credit courses there; and exemplary vocational education cross-credit courses in the state. An introduction describes a survey conducted late in 1988…

This document is the annual report on the South Carolina Basic Skills Assessment Program (BSAP) established by legislation in 1978. In 1988, the tests and the monitoring of the instructional components were completed on time. The tests include: (1) first grade readiness; (2) tests for grades 1, 2, 3, 6, and 8; and (3) the Exit Examination required…