This report presents results from Phase 2 of an ongoing Utah State Office of Education project titled "Preliminary Study of Proficiency Based Credit Testing in Utah Public Schools." Proficiency-based credit assessment (PBCA) means awarding secondary school academic credit to students considered proficient in the area without having taken…

The Postsecondary Enrollment Options Program (PSEO) allows 11th and 12th grade public school students to attend Minnesota postsecondary institutions at state expense. Students receive high school credit for courses successfully completed and may apply for postsecondary credit for the same courses when entering college after high school graduation.…

The four papers in this report summarize the major findings of the On the Right Track Project, a joint effort of the Education Testing Service and the National Urban League. The first paper, "Six Urban School Districts: Their Middle Grade Mathematics Grouping Policies and Practices" (Ruth B. Ekstrom), describes the six school districts…

The handbook, an update of the 1986 handbook, is designed for Spanish-speaking parents of California public school students, and answers commonly-asked questions about the state public education system and its services, particularly those of interest to this population. Information is presented in both Spanish-and English-language sections, in a…

This guide for parents of gifted children in South Dakota provides information and help in the following areas: (1) identifying personal feelings about giftedness (a self-assessment instrument); (2) deciding who is gifted (including federal and South Dakota definitions); (3) characteristics of giftedness (myths versus facts); (4) the school's role…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates special education and related services to be delivered in the least restrictive environment to preschoolers with disabilities. The act also mandates that educators and administrators find appropriate educational placements for children who are entitled to receive a free public…

State activities to collect information on program outcomes for students enrolled in postsecondary vocational education were examined in spring 1990. A multistage process, beginning with a review of state reports and legislation, was followed by telephone interviews with state officials. The average number of respondents per state was five.…

An overview of the activities and services of South Plains College's Learning Center (LC) is provided in this annual report for 1990-91. Introductory material outlines the scope of the report and offers detailed descriptions of the three major changes to the Learning Center: (1) the implementation of the Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP), a…

This report summarizes the major programs of the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) in Escambia County School District, Florida. The report identifies the district's concerns and priorities for the following: state-of-the-art, computer-assisted instruction for basic skills attainment; reconnecting dropouts through aggressive recruitment…

A study examined the impact of state comprehensive cooperative agreements on vocational education programs for handicapped youth. During the study, 45 local educational agencies operating in 17 states with comprehensive cooperative state agreements were asked to rate the degree of influence that the state agreement had on such programming areas as…

This handbook is designed to aid educators as they serve handicapped students who are enrolled in regular programs. The emphasis of the handbook is on selecting an appropriate vocational program, developing an individualized education program (IEP), and preparing students for meaningful employment through effective teaching. Addressed in the…

Learning objectives for the non-college preparatory mathematics program of the Grossmont Union High School District (California) and a description of the competency-based comprehensive mathematics program of Helix High School (Grossmont School District) are presented. An introduction to the Grossmont program objectives outlines the purpose and…

A three-year study examined the significant factors that affect the job placement rates of students completing a Home Economics Related Occupations (HERO) program. Other purposes of the study were to develop and pilot test a model that could be used to determine factors related to student placement in a variety of vocational education programs and…

A study was conducted to develop strategies to increase placement rates in secondary and postsecondary vocational programs. During the study, researchers identified factors relating to job placement, provided descriptions of the educational and community processes appearing to influence job placement, and generated hypotheses concerning variables…

The relationship between achievement and cultural, ethnic/racial, and linguistic diversity cannot be ignored given that students who struggle to learn are often the ones that are referred to special education even though the failure may not be due to a disability on the part of the student (Presidential Commission on Special Education, 2002). In…