Mounting pressure in the policy arena to improve teacher productivity either by improving signals that predict teacher performance or through creating incentive contracts based on performance--has spurred two related questions: Are there important determinants of teacher productivity that are not captured by teacher credentials but that can be…

The Academy for Educational Development (AED) sent a research team to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) on October 23-24, 2008, to conduct interviews with individuals who play important roles in the university's teacher preparation program. These interviews, along with additional documentation provided by UNCG and identified by…

This report identifies and analyzes legal, regulatory, and policy barriers to redesigning high schools in California. In an effort to identify legal, regulatory, and policy barriers to the creation and successful operation of redesigned high schools in California, the Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) staff interviewed high school…

This report represents one facet of a larger statewide higher education needs assessment that was produced by the HECB in October 2005, also in response to HB 3103. In contrast to the larger statewide assessment, which examines employer, community and student demands for education and training at the baccalaureate level and above, the following…

The position of the principal has evolved into a complex role burdened with responsibilities. Rising principal resignations and retirement rates, combined with reports of school districts beginning the school year with temporary principals, support the belief of a principal shortage. The underlying assumption in the literature is that performing…

Based on public opinion, public schools have never made the kind of dramatic, positive impact on the lives of the poor that it originally intended. In order to assess whether public schools are effective or not, the author attempts to answer several questions. These questions include: (1) Is school a sorting mechanism?; (2) Is public education a…

This bulletin describes the use of new qualifications, the General National Vocational Qualifications (GNVQ), which have been developed in Great Britain to qualify students for admittance to higher education through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). The first part of the bulletin discusses the suitability of GNVQs as a route…

The Tertiary Lead Group in New Zealand created a national qualifications framework to incorporate all types of degrees given by colleges and universities. This report describes the process undertaken, the principles to be considered and the issues to be addressed, the benefits of such a national system, the features and specifications proposed,…

This document contains four papers from a symposium on professionalizing the field of human resource development (HRD). "Issues in the Professionalization of HRD: Building a Knowledge Base and Credentialing Practitioners" (Robert W. Rowden) discusses indicators of an emerging field as workplace education becomes a major strategic thrust.…

This Spanish-language booklet outlines the requirements of the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential for preschool teachers or caregivers who work in center-based preschool day care programs. Part 1 provides an overview of the CDA credentialing system and the various options, settings, standards, and stages of the CDA assessment system.…

This report contains eight tables describing the use of the General Educational Development Tests (GED) in 1986 as well as comparative trends since 1949. The tables report statistics for the 50 states, U.S. territories, and the provinces of Canada. The tables report the following: (1) testing volumes by jurisdiction; (2) percent tested by age…

National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) practitioner members (N=600), all recent members of the NASP leadership (N=139), and college faculty (N=166) responded to surveys on a variety of topics and issues including current demographic information, NASP priorities, credentialing, job satisfaction, issues related to learning disabilities…

Specific steps for applying the Angoff method are described. In the Angoff method, judges are asked to estimate the probabilities of minimally competent candidates' answering multiple choice test items correctly. Initial information must be obtained for designing the standard-setting process, beginning with the purpose of the examination and any…

To professionalize health, physical education, and recreation is to have professional practice controlled by the profession. This paper discusses the purpose of four primary types of credentials available for practitioners: licensure, certification, accreditation, and registration. The discussion includes documenting some of the dangers associated…

This final report presents the recommendation of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) Planning Panel that a National Credentialing Organization for Alcoholism Counselors be established. Implementation plans for the National Credentialing Organization are presented in three phases. Funding and staffing are discussed. A…