Three articles on current research in testing are presented. The first article, "Testing in the Schools", discusses the role of testing in educational reform. In the 1980s, the overwhelming purpose of state standardized testing has become promoting accountability in areas of: (1) monitoring; (2) gatekeeping; (3) remediation; and (4)…

The Mathematics 16 program provides for the development of essential concepts, skills, and attitudes required for effective computation and problem solving. The program is activity-based, and addresses the need for students to be able to transfer and apply specific mathematical concepts and skills to more generalized situations in everyday life…

This monograph provides a comprehensive description of the science, technology, and society (STS) movement in science education. The STS approach strives to broaden the scope of science education by integrating into the science program accurate presentations of the nature of science, the nature of technology, and the interactions of science and…

This module is the eighth of 10 modules in the competency-based electronics series. Introductory materials include a listing of competencies addressed in the module and a cross-reference table of instructional materials. Seven instructional units cover: computer architecture; operating systems; computer programming; microprocessor instructions;…

A basic technical framework is provided for the design and use of mastery tests. The Mastery Testing Project (MTP) prepared this framework using advanced mathematics supplemented with computer simulation based on real test data collected by the South Carolina Statewide Testing Program. The MTP focused on basic technical issues encountered in using…

This paper brings together information on the conditions and needs of children who have been exposed to drugs, federal programs that affect the well-being of these children, and policy questions that need resolution. Discussion concerns: (1) characteristics of infants who have been exposed to drugs and their families, including prevalence and…

Diverse themes from the annual conference of the Australian Science Education Research Association are addressed in this volume. New topic concerns as well as concerns that have been cited in previous issues are identified. Papers focus on issues including: (1) science and technology; (2) classroom practices and processes; (3) international…

Although the relationship between reading and writing proficiency has interested scholars for two centuries, the exact nature of this relationship has resisted discovery. The persistance of statistically significant correlations across a broad range of subjects, measures, and experimental settings leaves no doubt that a moderate link between…

A shortage of certified and qualified science and mathematics teachers is one of the most visible and critical problems faced by our nation's schools. Because of the various approaches taken by different groups and agencies to solve the problem, the Improvement of Science and Mathematics Team (ISME) of the National Institute of Education (NIE) was…

Trends in expenses, financial assistance, and indebtedness for students studying health professions and the effects of financial considerations on career choice were examined. The objective was to determine financial disincentives to graduates of health professions schools that affect their choice of practice specialty or their decision to…

Examined were (1) the long-term effectiveness of Head Start; and (2) the success of the Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools (MCPS) in educating children from low-income families. The first focus of the study compared the performance of Head Start graduates in elementary and secondary schools to that of students who had applied for Head…

This summary of a forum for migrant educators defines dropout issues, explores solutions and models of service, and offers recommendations to address the needs of out-of-school migrant youth. Notes from forum workshops and summary task force reports deal with dropout identification/needs assessment, dropout/enrollment/graduation data, interagency…

In fall 1986, a study was conducted at Florence-Darlington Technical College (South Carolina) to measure the reliability and validity of the TEC-MAT, a newly developed entrance test. The TEC-MAT instrument, a criterion-referenced test consisting of 100 items assessing numerical skills, was field tested among a group of entry-level freshmen already…

The Texas Educational Assessment of Minimum Skills (TEAMS) was developed by the Texas Education Agency (TEA), in response to Texas House Bill 72 (1984), which mandated a new basic skills assessment program for mathematics, reading, and writing at grades 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11. This document is one in a series of Instructional Strategies Guides…

This mathematics support guide is intended for use by vocational students and instructors as a review of essential mathematics concepts and for problem-solving exercises in the vocations. It is designed to accompany the "Mathematical Skills Inventory," which tests mathematics skills, attitudes, and background. A section entitled Arithmetic Skills…