Seven guidelines for setting minimum competency standards for high school graduation are presented: (1) Competency standards for the diploma should be developed by a process that gives major attention to the needs of students yet recognizes an institutions's responsibility to societal needs. (2) Competency standards should be developed using good…

This information package has been designed for teachers, administrators, school boards, and legislators who are interested in exploring the area of competency based education (CBE). The first section briefly reviews why there is interest in CBE, how it is currently defined, and some of the major issues it raises (including definition of what…

In 1971, the History, Government, and Geography Service of the Division of Secondary Education, Virginia State Department of Education, conducted a survey of social studies programs, kindergarten through grade twelve, in the fifty states. The responses from forty-one of the fifty states are presented in alphabetical order. For each grade level in…

Describes statewide results on minimum competency testing (MCT) programs newly implemented in Texas, and discusses initial efforts to predict the impact of a specific statewide MCT program on retention and graduation in Houston. Suggests that the new MCT requirements, by discouraging high risk students who previously might have stayed in school,…

The use of competency-based transcripts is favored over differentiated diplomas to designate differences in student performance. Issues discussed surrounding the use of differentiated diplomas for high school graduation include the actual importance of functional literacy level for job success, the failure of prospective employers to verify…

Challenge to Lead sets ambitious goals to help states ask the right questions to improve student access to college through better alignment of the policies that govern the transition from high school to college and careers. To help answer them, this special report provides a one-page summary of each SREB state's policies, programs and requirements…

The New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA) requested that the Institute for Higher Education Policy evaluate the outcomes of the state's Outstanding Scholar Recruitment Program (OSRP). In particular, HESAA asked that the Institute determine the program's effectiveness in increasing the enrollment and retention of…

This student handbook helps students in grades 6 and 7 to prepare for high school and college. It urges them to plan now so that they can get on the right track and take the classes they need. The handbook encourages these students to discover their strengths, weaknesses, interests, and abilities to learn how they can prepare them for their…

"Alabama Education News" is published monthly except for June, July, and December by the Alabama Department of Education. This publication, authorized by Section 16-2-4 of the "Code of Alabama", as recompiled in 1975, is a public service of the Alabama Department of Education designed to inform citizens and educators about…

Indigenous engagement with vocational education and training (VET) has improved significantly, but successful Indigenous completion rates are lower nationally when compared to the overall population. This report, based on an action research project, examines intra-institutional factors at four Queensland TAFE (technical and further education)…

This study set out to explore the mechanisms for educating court-involved youth in Chicago, learn about the available educational options, and the barriers, if any, these young people face when continuing in or returning to school. A key finding is that educational options in Chicago that are designed expressly for court-involved youth who are…

This paper discusses the relationship between education and earnings, explaining that most states still consider college preparatory courses to be electives, and the skills and content needed for further education are not typically reflected in state high school assessments. It discusses the implications of this mismatch for young people, focusing…

To be successful in the workforce or in postsecondary education, high school graduates must have achieved competency in the areas of reading, writing, mathematics, and science. Yet, many students leave high school without competency in these areas, putting them at a significant disadvantage both in the workplace and in postsecondary education…

The California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE), established in 1999, requires all high school students beginning with the class of 2004 to pass the CAHSEE to earn a high school diploma. A study was conducted in a large urban school district in central California of the first year of implementation of CAHSEE. The study gathered evidence about…

This report summarizes experiences of the New York Networks for School Renewal (NYNSR), which developed school networks for mutual support and accountability and promoted small size, autonomy, personalization, and professional teaching communities. Researchers compared NYNSR outcomes to comparable outcomes for the New York City (NYC) school system…