The purpose of the project described in this paper was to develop, publish, and disseminate a model set of oral communication competencies for West Virginia students in kindergarten through grade 12. The first section of the paper discusses the purpose of the project, which was prompted by the growth of the competency movement, and provides some…

The recent interest in setting minimal educational standards arises partially from the success of the educational system at providing 75 percent of the population with high school diplomas. Previously, a major goal for the system was high school graduation for as many people as possible. Now that that goal is approximated, a new goal takes its…

A number of important issues must be addressed during the process of graduation competency identification. Each school system must determine what it means by the term competency before identifying a set of graduation requirements. Graduation competencies may emphasize school subject skills, basic skills, or skills needed in everyday life. Life…

A study was conducted to identify the tasks relevant to sixteen occupations with the IDECC (Interstate Distributive Education Curriculum Consortium) course, General Merchandising: Department Store, in order to test new standards of occupational task analysis. Job relevancy data were provided by three types of task data: (1) extent that task is…

There are social forces exerting a tremendous influence that would, unchecked, remove humanistic elements from the teaching and learning of language by imposing a narrow set of basics--those skills that can be measured and which threaten to become the whole, very minimum, curriculum. The "Essentials of Education," a statement developed…

The National Institute of Education's (NIE) process of studying minimum competency testing (MCT) includes: (1) a clarification hearing to provide a public forum to discuss divergent views on salient issues related to MCT programs; (2) two investigative teams to explore the different perspectives on the issues, build comprehensive cases which…

This criticism of writing competency tests questions both the efficacy of a test developed by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and the reliance of individual states on the products of private testmakers. The paper suggests that a hidden curriculum is being developed by independent and semi-independent organizations that…

A discriminant analysis of the relationships between 335 Florida students' first and second grade scores on the reading subtests of the Metropolitan Achievement Test (MAT) and their third grade scores on the Florida Statewide Assessment Test (FSAT) was undertaken, using race, sex, and intelligence as independent variables. Three null hypotheses…

After a brief discussion of the issues prompting concern with competency-based education (CBE) and an explanation of what it is and why it is so popular, this document goes on to discuss action Wisconsin and other states have taken to implement CBE. Very brief accounts are given of the minimal competency-type programs implemented in Sparta,…

An historical and philosophical perspective on the setting of standards for criterion-referenced testing is presented. The author suggests that performance standards are more symbolic than substantive. (JKS)

Prescriptive instruction should be developed for all students, ensuring that each will have the opportunity to achieve to the maximum of his or her ability. (Author/MLF)

Argues that minimal competency tests will promote reading literacy. (MKM)

The potential of minimum competency testing cannot be realized unless school districts engage in the complex processes of competency-based program development. (Author/MLF)

Discusses the costs of developing, administering, and regulating state competency tests as well as of the compensatory programs that the tests will make necessary, and then suggests five ways of reducing these costs. (IRT)

Since 1960 Denver has operated a testing program designed to assure that high school graduates possess minimum competence in four basic areas--arithmetic, spelling, grammar, and reading comprehension. (Author/IRT)