The study was intended to determine the basis of intra- and interstate credit transfer for migrant students and how credit transfer can be improved. The Secretaries of Education Committees in State Legislatures and Departments of Education in Puerto Rico and all states except California responded to an open-ended survey. Over 80% of all states…

This survey was conducted to determine how state education agencies were addressing the issue of mathematics, science, and vocational education. Questions concerned (1) the current state of their vocational programs in relation to increased emphasis on mathematics and science for high school students; (2) presence or absence of a state policy that…

On the basis of research reports, a survey of secondary school principals, a public opinion survey, state comparisons, public hearing testimony, and findings from high school visitations, the Michigan Commission on High Schools developed recommendations for improving seven aspects of secondary education in Michigan. First, the commission…

A technical advisory committee assisted the Alabama State Department of Education in establishing passing scores and equating test forms of the Alabama High School Graduation Examination (AHSGE). The committee examined four methods of setting cutting scores: (1) Jensen's theoretical method--probability theory is used to set standards that are…

A study examined the effects of increased academic requirements for graduation on secondary vocational enrollments in Colorado. After identifying 111 of the school districts in Colorado that have recently increased their graduation requirements (representing 61 percent of the 180 school districts in the State), researchers randomly selected five…

In 1980, Oregon State University began a program going beyond the usual procedure for students of English as a second language (ESL), which involved putting them in intensive English programs until they could pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language and then sending them on to a regular academic program. It was found that this traditional…

Most Americans expect the nation's colleges and universities to promote the goal of social mobility to make it possible for anyone with ability and motivation to succeed. But according to Robert Haveman and Timothy Smeeding, income-related gaps both in access to and in success in higher education are large and growing. In the top-tier colleges and…

Compulsory province-wide grade 12 examinations, administered in Alberta since 1906, were dropped in 1973; teachers were given the responsibility of assigning final grades. To assess the quality of education since then, a 1976 survey examined: (1) current grade 12 evaluation policies and practices; (2) whether or not grading has changed in the past…

New minimum high school graduation standards were mandated for 1978-79 graduates, by Florida's Educational Accountability Act of 1976. Requirements included mastery of basic skills, completion of minimum course credits, and satisfactory performance on functional literacy tests. The literacy test was the primary criterion for graduation. On its…

A survey was conducted in Massachusetts in October-November 1978, to determine the public's attitude toward the educational objectives proposed as part of the state's Basic Skills Improvement Policy. The objectives involved standards for graduation from high school, and covered reading, writing, listening, speaking, and mathematics. Three samples…

An evolving educational alternative, The Free School, has undergone many changes since its inception in 1971, which has made evaluation difficult. The end of year report, therefore, is presented in a principally narrative form utilizing case histories and personal comments, although pertinent graphs and charts are included. Among the difficulties…

During 1972-74, three separate but interrelated statewide policies were enacted providing the legal basis for moving Oregon public schools and the postsecondary institutions preparing educational personnel for these schools to a competency-based orientation. These three policy areas dealt with 1) changes in the minimum requirements for graduation…

Higher education globalizes: its potential contributions are now seen as a crucial component of cross-border economic competitiveness. Accumulating evidence suggests that a highly qualified workforce contributes substantially to a nation's economic competitiveness, particularly when a large share of the workforce has acquired skills and knowledge…

In order to meet the need for more educated workers in the state, the Governor's Commission on Higher Education and the Economy (CHEE) has set an ambitious goal of increasing college and university enrollment in Ohio by 30 percent or 180,000 students over the next decade (CHEE, 2004). This goal can arguably only be met if the state takes measures…

Students who fail to graduate high school prepared to attend a four-year college are much less likely to gain full access to our country's economic, political, and social opportunities. In this study, the authors estimate the percentage of students in the public high school class of 2001 who actually possess the minimum qualifications for applying…