This report describes educational programs and opportunities available to Washington state's high school students, emphasizing changes brought about by the state's education reform. Information came from surveys and interviews with teachers, students, and parents and state and national data. The study examined whether high schools were increasing…

"Education Week" provides a weekly review of state and federal K-12 education policy news. In this issue it offers detailed data on graduation rates across the 50 states and the District of Columbia, and in the nation's 50 largest school districts. The analysis is based on the Cumulative Promotion Index developed by Christopher B. Swanson, the…

The authors analyzed student data from the U.S. Department of Education's "Annual Reports to Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act" to asses patterns and trends in the educational placement of students with emotional or behavioral disorders (E/BD), as well as their means of school exit and the…

Persistent tension is always present in the differing views about what education should be among parents, students, and the professionals who are responsible for the conduct of educational enterprises. (RC)

This document contains tables and graphs indicating the dropout and student retention rates in the Detroit (Michigan) Public Schools from December 1984 through November 1985. Shown are (1) analysis of educational status (dropout, graduate, transfer, and attendee rates) for the city's high school population; (2) comparative educational status…

The lack of research on grading policies for handicapped students is pointed out, and results of a survey completed by 14 high schools in New Hampshire are summarized. Results reveal a variety of grading and graduation approaches including weighting grades or courses, developing a basic level curriculum geared for students having academic…

The paper introduces issues regarding graduation of handicapped students. Modifications to graduation requirements include course substitutions; curricular, method, evaluation or materials modification; and additional time allotted for completion of the degree requirements. Requirements for graduation from Show Low High School are listed under the…

This paper contains descriptions of mandated minimum competency programs in 13 states: Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, and Vermont. Each description provides the skills assessed in the state, the assessment instruments used, and the overall purposes of…

This bulletin provides a foreword to the Program of Studies series published by the Montgomery County, Maryland Public Schools. This series outlines the unified curriculum for students from kindergarten through high school. A statement of educational goals of the system and a discussion of educational standards and requirements for graduation from…

This curriculum guide for the high schools in Community Unit School District 300, Dundee, Illinois, provides a description of the available programs, grading procedures, requirements for graduation, a semester to quarter conversion sheet, and course descriptions organized by department. (MLF)

This document presents the graduation requirements of the Bloomfield Hills public schools. It includes the credits that must be earned in grades 10-12 and the minimum competencies that must be achieved in each of 14 areas, including measurement skills, speaking skills, communication skills, employment and career skills, and physical fitness.…

Reflects on recent efforts to reform secondary education by emphasizing academic courses and considers the benefits of vocational education and importance of a balanced curriculum. (SK)

A school structure is proposed that includes automatic student promotion each school year and educates each student to his or her true potential. (MD)

One measure used in the name of quality assurance and institutional accountability in education is student graduate rate. In the context of the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act it is important to remember that discussion of accountability and graduation rates should be rooted in existing state and federal roles. It is also important to…

To eliminate some of the unfairness in graduation requirements for handicapped students, the author proposes a system in which secondary students would leave school when their goals were achieved. In doing away with the diploma, his approach would also mark the end of compulsory attendance, required classes, and competency testing. (CL)