To determine to what extent competencies to be measured by the Alabama High School Graduation Examination were being taught in the Alabama public schools, a survey was conducted of teachers of grades 7, 8, 9, and 10. Competencies that were not being taught are identified and possible explanations are outlined. (Author/EGS)

Surveys the present state of and newest trends in British education. Examines grammar and comprehensive schools, the new extension of compulsory attendance to the 16th year, the "liberalizing" of the new Certificate of Secondary Education (as against the traditional GCE), and Open University adult education. (IFS/WGA)

During the past 10 years, there has been a movement among state education departments to develop academic content standards, standards-based assessments of student achievement, and standards-related high school graduation requirements for students. This Digest discusses: (1) state content standards in history; (2) standards-based student…

The North Carolina State Board of Education, as part of the Quality Assurance Program, initially established a computer proficiency requirement for diplomas issued to the Class of 2000. In October of 1995, the Board modified the requirement by making it effective beginning with the graduating Class of 2001. Students who were in grade eight for the…

There was a time when virtually all students pursuing the master's degree were required to submit to and successfully complete comprehensive examinations, most of which featured both written and oral elements. In this more traditional period, the acquisition of the master's degree was in large part a qualifying ritual for admission to a Ph.D.…

High school graduation exams are in place in nearly half the states, and more than half the nation's high school students have to pass them to earn a diploma. After a detailed analysis of the mathematics and English language arts exams in Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio and Texas, Achieve reached three conclusions: (1) Tests are…

This document is an important companion to the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) report "Getting Serious About High School Graduation." Together, they make powerful statements to policymakers and education leaders about the problems in high schools and what can be done to fix them. Teachers, policymakers, and parents have long agreed that…

This paper presents the revised Core Curriculum standards (the essential ideas, concepts, and skills) for the K-6 reading language arts required of students in Utah. It notes that the Core should be taught with respect for differences in learning styles, learning rates, and individual capabilities without losing sight of the common goals.…

This guidebook is designed to help Virginia high school students plan for college. It suggests ways for students to prepare for college, classes they should take in high school to make sure they will be accepted into college, and ways to get scholarships and other kinds of financial aid. The booklet outlines the courses required for graduation…

In the year 2000, the Alaska High School Graduation Qualifying Examination (HSGQE) was given for the first time. The HSGQE is currently scheduled to be a graduation requirement for all students graduating as of January 2002, but early results from the use of the HSGQE in the Anchorage school district raise serious questions about the use of the…

This annual report complies with the requirements of Tennessee's Public Education Governance Reform Act of 1984, which directs the State Board of Education and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission to prepare a report on: (1) the extent of duplication in elementary-secondary and postsecondary education in Tennessee; (2) the extent to which…

This report contains aggregate and disaggregated state-level results from administrations of North Carolina's computer skills tests (performance and multiple choice) in 2000-2001. The report also provides limited information about the performance of school districts and charter schools. Additional data are included in this report about the…

This report discusses outcomes of a study of assessment directors and transition specialists from each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia on exit documents available to and graduation requirements for students with and without disabilities. Results indicate: (1) approximately 80 percent of the states have alternative exit documents for…

This paper discusses the national movement toward increasing high school graduation requirements and the development of alternatives to the standard high school diploma for students with disabilities. Findings from a review of state policies indicate: (1) 38 states and territories apply some graduation requirements to students with disabilities;…

This manual contains a description of the procedures to be used when administering the Nevada High School Proficiency Examination in mathematics, reading, and writing. Test administrators should read and understand these instructions thoroughly before testing sessions. The parts are: (1) "General Instructions"; (2) "Instructions for…