Offers the Southern Examining Group chief examiner's personal assessment of the successes and problems encountered during the first year of the British General Certification of Secondary Education (GCSE) examination. Discusses both coursework and the examination itself. Concludes that if administrative problems can be overcome, the GCSE will…

Discusses issues involved in the construction, validity, and use of tests that evaluate educational progress, especially those that assess higher-order cognitive functioning. Reviews the four articles in this special issue. (FMW)

Describes Australia's program of educational assistance to developing countries, indicating that over three-quarters of the assistance is for higher education. Suggests that the program's bias is driven by commercial considerations. Advocates increased assistance to basic education programs because of their greater relevance to developing…

A survey of 106 educators rated the importance of knowledge statements and skill statements in the area of assessment of children in special education. Highly ranked items concerned referral, screening, prereferral, classification, state and federal guidelines, multidisciplinary team roles, monitoring student progress, and evaluating the results…

Reports on a survey of community college faculty chairs and administrators to identify institutional initiatives to enhance student performance on the College Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST), assess faculty acceptance of and support for the CLAST mandate, and determine uses of aggregate CLAST scores in formative and summative evaluations. (DMM)

Universities can play a role in resolving the problems of functionally illiterate adults, which have reduced human capital and economic production. One university's adult competency initiative provided classes and tutoring for its employees and community members, supporting its mission to apply knowledge in the real world. (SK)

Discusses the use of computerized placement testing at Santa Fe Community College to enable students needing only a short review of reading skills to exit early from a College Preparatory Reading Class (CPRC). Describes CPRC placement, structure, curriculum, and exit criteria; the Early Exit Reading Project; and project results. (DMM)

Describes a model for addressing prerequisite mathematics needs. A small set of prerequisite skills for the content course is identified and assessed, and students needing extra help are assisted. Targeted students include those with only marginal deficits rather than those needing full course remediation. Presents results from empirical testing…

Discussion of the standards issue in gifted education stresses the value of program models characterized by academic freedom and development of creative expression and urges that lists of standards and high-stakes testing do not replace a rich curriculum. (Contains references.) (DB)

A survey of 63 educational interpreters employed in two rural states, found only 10 interpreters had completed interpreter preparation programs, with 5 of these having no course work related to education. The mean score of 43 assessed using the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment was 2.6, below the level of "coherent". (Contains…

This paper addresses issues concerning nationally prescribed tests and tasks in relation to the National Curriculum for England and Wales and the assessment of primary-age students with special educational needs. (DB)

Discusses apparent contradicting conclusions of two studies on the impact of policies aimed at raising the achievement of at-risk students. One study analyzed the impact of state minimum competency testing; the other analyzed students' reactions to the threat of grade retention if certain levels on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills were not achieved.…

Assessment and accountability have played prominent roles in many reform efforts during the past 50 years. Reviews features of assessment and accountability that influence the trustworthiness of information provided and impact educational practices and student learning. Discusses reform based on assessment and accountability, describes salient…

Reviews features of assessment and accountability that influence the trustworthiness of information provided and impact educational practices and student learning. Discusses reform based on assessment and accountability, describes salient features in reform efforts, and makes suggestions for assessment and accountability systems. (SLD)

Finding, accessing, and determining the credibility of information are skills most people would deem necessary for the college educated person, if not the average citizen, to possess today. At the same time, educators, as well as constituents of educational institutions are asking for better and more sophisticated assessment instruments of…