This document contains a brief overview and introduction to the Urban District Assessment Consortium (UDAC), sample performance items with student responses, and sample open-ended items with student responses. The UDAC is a multiyear cooperative effort that is comprised of 11 major urban school districts across the United States and the Center for…

The following papers are included: "Valuing Change and Changing Values" (Armstrong); "Raybouldism, Russell, and New Reality" (Benn, Fieldhouse); "The Move to Self-Assessment" (Boud); "Hijacking Experience and Delivering Competence" (Bryant); "The Professional Development Model of APEL [Assessment of Prior Experiential Learning]--Some Problems of…

This report, which documents compliance of Texas vocational education programs with civil rights legislation in 1992-93, details the activities conducted by the Texas Education Agency to comply with Office of Civil Rights (OCR) guidelines under the Texas Methods of Administration plan. Presented in the first section are the following:…

Teachers, administrators, volunteers, and students involved in Adult Basic Education/English-as-a-Second-Language (ABE/ESL) programs in Washington were interviewed regarding their perceptions of assessment and their assessment needs. The primary objective of the study was to gather information that could be used in developing an assessment model…

The Accountability Atlas presents information about the students, programs, staff, and services of the City College of San Francisco (CCSF), California. Most of the information is for the 1993-94 academic year, with some longitudinal data provided. The atlas is divided into the following six chapters: student access; student success; student…

Using a system that monitors just the process of education does not guarantee positive student outcomes. What education needs is a consistent set of accountability procedures for all students. As educators take steps toward a new and inclusive accountability system, they need to look at: (1) possible alternative approaches to accountability; (2)…

This volume contains 13 papers on experiences with reform and innovation in higher education and their implications for developing countries. Four themes are highlighted: higher education and development, performance assessment, sustainable financing, and effectiveness in governance and management. The papers include: "Introduction:…

Six documents were reviewed and recommendations relevant to the work of the Advisory Committee on Testing in Chapter 1 were summarized. A brief description of a framework for discussing different uses of assessment is followed by specific recommendations from each of the following sources: (1) "Working Paper: Reauthorization of the…

This document provides a decision tree to guide the thinking of the staff of New Zealand agencies developing national education and certification standards. It is intended to help them make decisions about moderation of assessment--a process of sampling assessments to ensure that they are consistent with the required standard. After an…

Demographic and social changes, increasing economic interdependence, and educational reform movements are causing major changes in vocational education. Essential work force skills and the standards to account for their achievement are being debated. The 1980s'"Excellence Movement" focused on strengthening academic requirements,…

Colorado schools are undergoing a major transformation. Local communities are organizing around their schools and developing action plans to reach the state's educational goals. The 1992 report on K-12 education contains information about Colorado's efforts to implement four strategies: educational accountability; high expectations and standards…

A study evaluated the adequacy, effectiveness, and coordination of vocational education and Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) program delivery systems in Texas. Statistical data on vocational education were obtained from the Texas Education Agency and Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and data on JTPA programming were obtained from the…

The accountability system that is being implemented in the Dallas Independent School District (Texas) is a three-tier system. The first tier focuses at the school level. The second involves the District Improvement Plan, setting district accountability objectives. The third tier involves school effectiveness indices, which take into account…

This report presents the mandated annual performance accountability reports of the 31 public colleges and universities in Maryland, as well as an overall analysis and recommendations of the Maryland Higher Education Commission. The reports are organized according to five categories of key performance indicators: quality, effectiveness, access,…

This report presents the recommendations of the New Mexico Commission on Higher Education for funding public institutions of higher education in fiscal year 1998-99. An executive summary notes the recommendations' four key components: (1) a $28.7 million overall increase in higher education funding; (2) a commitment by institutions and the…