In 1992, a study was conducted at Golden West College (California) to determine the predictive validity of the Math Diagnostic Testing Project (MDTP) tests. A total of 1,137 students were tested in-class; 601 took the Algebra Readiness test, 376 took the Elementary Algebra test, and 160 took the Intermediate Algebra test. Two correlation…

In 1985-86, Northern Michigan College (NMC) used funds received from the United States Department of Education to develop a system of assessment, advisement, and placement--Placement/Advisement for Student Success (PASS), an integrated system designed to improve student retention. PASS currently consists of three components: summer orientation,…

Prince George's Community College (PGCC), in Maryland, has monitored minority student performance for over a decade, and has several programs in place to assist minority students in their endeavors at the college. The college's enrollment has always reflected the demographics of Prince George's County, mirroring the rapid changes in the county's…

The Measurement and Evaluation Center of the University of Texas at Austin conducted a standard-setting study in 1991 to reassess the use of the College Board's Achievement Tests in mathematics, Level I and Level II for course placement and credit by examination in an elementary functions and coordinate geometry course. Students in 20 sections of…

This guide for New York City parents of preschool children (ages 3 to 4) with possible disabilities is intended to provide necessary information about legal rights as well as a description of the evaluation and placement processes. Specifically addressed are the following topics: the Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE); timing of…

By studying the process by which disadvantaged and low-achieving high school students are assigned to classes and special programs, how and why disadvantaged students are placed in inappropriate programs can be understood. Reasons exist to question the assumption that students are assigned to programs rationally on the basis of information about…

This report presents results of an investigation of possible reasons for the pronounced gender inequality in numbers of students served by special education in Wisconsin, especially in the categories of emotional disturbances (81 percent male), learning disabilities (71 percent male), and speech and language (66 percent male). The study found that…

The English Language Proficiency Test (ELPT) is a multiple-choice examination that is designed to assess the test taker's ability to use English in day-to-day interactions involving listening and reading. It is intended primarily as an admissions and placement test for college students with English as a second language. The ELPT consists of…

This paper provides an overview of hyperlexia, a condition found in children who have precocious reading skills accompanied by significant problems in language, learning, and social skills. These children are described as having superior auditory and visual memory but seem to have better memory for isolated words than words recalled in context.…

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 assures that no person in the United States shall, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program of activity receiving Federal financial assistance. These requirements, which apply to all…

During spring 1992, the Combined English Language Skills Assessment (CELSA) test was piloted with a sample of English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) classes at Golden West College (GWC) in Huntington Beach, California. The CELSA, which utilizes a cloze format including parts of conversations and short dialogues, combines items from beginning,…

The Palm Beach County, Florida, Adult ESOL Curriculum Development Project, which was funded by a state Section 353 Demonstration Project grant, is described. The primary goal for this 2-year project was to develop a model adult English-for Speakers-of-Other-Languages (ESOL) curriculum for the state. A needs assessment was conducted statewide and a…

This summary report examines ability grouping and its possible use for in-school segregation in the North Carolina public schools. The report describes the development of concerns among minority parents about the placement of minority children in special education and low-ability classes and the investigation into the issue by a forum of six…

This journal supplement provides graphs, tables, and narrative to summarize the current status of special education in the United States. The information is based on data from the following sources: "The 15th Annual Report to the Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act"; "The 1990 Elementary and Secondary…

This report reviews and synthesizes the most promising practices used to identify exceptionally talented students from the Native American population. Preliminary information includes an Indian Student Bill of Rights, discussion of the problem of talent identification, and discussion of special issues including diversity within the Native American…