In 1984 the General Assembly of South Carolina passed the Education Improvement Act of 1984--the "New Approach", a comprehensive educational reform measure. The following action initiatives were mandated: (1) increase academic standards; (2) strengthen student discipline and attendance in the schools; (3) provide more effective use of…

According to the New Mexico Basic Skills Plan, students' attainment of basic skills is assessed by the objective and writing appraisal portions of the New Mexico High School Proficiency Examination (NMHSPE). This report to the New Mexico State Department of Education compiles and analyzes data on diploma endorsements (gold seals) for 1983…

Each year thousands of students entering college participate in credit by examination programs in an effort to qualify for exemption and in many cases college credit for general education core requirements. The purpose of this study was to examine the differences between students who participate in a credit by examination program (in this case…

In response to the National Commission on Excellence in Education Report, the McHenry Community High School District in Illinois analyzed its current high school programs. The analysis is presented under five areas: (1) instructional programs; (2) student services; (3) district planning, facility, and fiscal programs; (4) athletic and cocurricular…

Administrative and technical problems were encountered in carrying out a minimum competency program for high school students in the Austin (Texas) Independent School District. The history of required minimum competency testing was reviewed briefly, and the process of clarifying and operationalizing the requirements was described within the Austin…

California Assembly Bill 3408 requires school districts to adopt their own standards in basic skills, including reading comprehension, writing, and computation. Students must be tested at least once in grades 7-9 and twice in grades 10-11. After June, 1980, students who do not meet standards will not receive a high school diploma. Assembly Bill…

As part of a multiphase study on male and female student attitudes towards Air Force technical training and the relationship between those attitudes and student performance, the 121-item Technical Training Student Survey (TTSS) was administered to 12,666 technical training students. The attitudes of students from high attrition courses were…

In an attempt to determine why students enroll in specific courses in a comprehensive community college, students at Lower Columbia (Washington) were asked to respond to a questionnaire listing nine possible reasons for taking a particular course. Students received a computer card for every class in which they enrolled for fall quarter 1970, and…

The controversy over the question of foreign language requirements in colleges and universities is aired in 43 letters by German department chairmen in selected, leading institutions. The letters, solicited in March 1969, provide random reactions and are mainly written in defense of the maintenance of the requirement. (RL)

This handbook concerns the objectives, procedures, and limits of adult school counseling, and provides guidelines for counselors in a large school system. It aims to make reasonably uniform the services offered in all adult schools, and to extend these services. The 11 parts of the handbook discuss the following: I. Administrative Policies, II.…

Discusses the effects of desegregation on the academic achievement of black elementary and high school students and the subsequent decline in black enrollment in and graduation from graduate and professional schools. (FMW)

Four profiles for success in minority degree achievement are examined: well-prepared, second-generation college students with commitment to higher education; first-generation students with a belief in education; first- and second-generation students who questioned the value of education; and first-generation students who never intended to go to…

Reports on nationwide school improvement trends shown by the following indicators: (1) S.A.T. and A.C.T. scores, (2) school dropout rates, (3) preprimary enrollment rates, (4) increased numbers of required courses, and (5) the 1985 Gallup Poll of the Public's Attitude Toward the Public Schools. Six charts are included. (IW)

A survey completed by 319 principals of high schools with enrollments under 500 was used to determine the core curriculum and the specific curriculum needs of today's small high schools. Principals indicated a need for additional courses in computer-related areas, remedial reading, speech, first-aid, geography, creative writing, and consumer…

Washington state's public four-year universities and college have submitted their 2003-05 accountability plans to the Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB). The state operating budget directs the Board to review these plans and set biennial performance targets for each institution. For 2003-05, the four-year institutions are reporting on a…