Some of the major findings of CSE's (Center for the Study of Evaluation) Test Use in Schools Project are synthesized and interpreted. The Project incorporated fieldwork and survey techniques to answer questions about the kinds of tests teachers administer in their classrooms, the kinds of information teachers need from tests to make decisions…

The integrated model at Westwood Secondary School (Ontario) involves the combination in a single school of vocational programs and regular secondary school programs. The model was implemented in fall 1981 with the entry of vocational students in grades 9 and 10 and will be phased in until all 4 years of vocational programming are offered. Data for…

Westwood Secondary School (Ontario) has integrated two grades of vocational students with regular secondary students in one school. A summary of findings from surveys and student records indicates that students in the vocational program are integrated with the other students to a considerable extent. At least one regular course is being taken by…

The Preparation for American Secondary Schools (PASS) program, added to the federal Overseas Refugee Training Program in 1985, was evaluated for its effectiveness in preparing Southeast Asian refugees for American education. The study compared the school performance of students with PASS training to that of students who did not receive PASS…

Information on the educational system of Saudi Arabia and the placement of Saudi students in U.S. schools and colleges is presented. After briefly introducing the country and the educational system, attention is directed to elementary education. A new type of secondary school program that includes general and specialized courses is described.…

An academic characteristics profile database for freshmen at the Pennsylvania State University is briefly described. The database was constructed through the Freshman Testing, Counseling, and Advising Program (FTCAP), which is designed to assist new freshmen in evaluating their educational plans by providing them, prior to initial registration, a…

The articles in this issue consider key issues in the selection of populations for gifted education program services. Titles and authors of articles include: "The Identification Blues and How to Cure Them" (Ernesto Bernal); "Recognizing Giftedness in Your Child" (Linda Kreger Silverman); "Instructional Grouping, GATE and Honors Classes" (Bill…

The validity of American College Testing Program (ACT) test scores and self-reported high school grades for predicting grades in specific college freshman courses was studied. Specific course grades are typically used to place students in remedial, standard, or advanced classes. These placement decisions, in turn, have immediate implications for…

The guide is intended to be a practical tool for screening and identifying Wisconsin students suspected of being emotionally disturbed (ED). It contains information on the legal requirements for the identification and placement of ED students as well as the definition of emotional disturbance and techniques for screening and evaluation. Sample…

The study reported here examined the long term performance of three groups of children who attended the Head Start program in the Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools. The students attended Head Start as preschoolers in 1970-71, 1974-75, and 1978-79, and were in grades 4, 8, and 12, respectively, during the 1983-84 school year. The…

Through a literature review and classroom observations, several variables affecting the quality of education were studied, focusing on processes related to student placement in special education and to instruction after placement. The study found that: (1) A dynamic interaction is needed among the referral, assessment, placement, and instruction…

Designed primarily for English faculty at two-year colleges in California, "Inside English" includes articles on instructional innovations in teaching remedial writing, literature courses, and freshman composition, and on major curricular, administrative, and employment issues in the field. The four issues in volume 9 contain the following feature…

The New Jersey Basic Skills Assessment Program was created to determine the status of basic skills preparedness of freshmen entering public colleges and universities and to offer data to help colleges place freshman students in appropriate courses. The New Jersey College Basic Skills Placement Test (NJCBSPT) is a 3-hour-and-20-minute examination…

This paper reviews eight major problem areas concerning testing practices of interest to professionals practicing psychology in the schools. These areas, identified by the Task Force on Psychology in the Schools of the American Psychological Association, include: (1) test use; (2) diagnostic versus placement tests; (3) informed parental consent…

Exceptional Mexican American students face difficulties not experienced by their Anglo counterparts because the educational system is not set up to deal with members of ethnic and cultural minorities. Spanish-speaking students face the problem of gaining competence in their first language while learning English as a second language. Standard…