Examines the way standardized test questions are developed by the Advanced Placement Development Committee; shows that the tests continue to reflect features of New Criticism and have not been changed to reflect recent developments in the discipline of English. (GW)

Swarthmore College's Reading for Honors program prepares its participants for communicating their expertise and ideas with the outside world. Students in the program are subject to the scrutiny of examiners from outside the institution who determine the degree of honors bestowed at commencement. (Author/MSE)

This article notes that the May 1987 release of the College Board's advanced placement exam in American government gives high school social studies departments good reason to reassess and improve their advanced placement programs. It shows how Alexis de Toqueville's classic 1935 work, "Democracy in America," may be used as a central…

The Hebron Advanced Placement Institute, a group of teachers spending a week in the summer examining methods and materials for Advanced Placement English, is described. Its mission is to engender excitement for the discipline and to enable its participants to face confidently the challenge of AP instruction. (MLW)

To find the students who need help, college officials are starting new testing programs, sharing more information with high-school teachers and administrators, and joining with high schools to sponsor special programs for students and teachers. Programs in Ohio, New Jersey, and Florida are described. (MLW)

How the College Board's Advanced Placement course description and examination were developed is described in some detail. Then the course itself is discussed, with a topic outline included. (MNS)

A description and interim evaluation of an experimental accelerated master's degree program is presented. The program is designed for students whose undergraduate preparation, work experience, and performance on a qualifying examination suggest that they can benefit from a curriculum that builds directly upon their previous educational and work…

The astonishing success rate for students taking the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests has resulted in large numbers of college sophomores who have never been freshmen. Implications of this fact are discussed along with an assessment of the CLEP examinations themselves. (LBH)

This document represents the first in a series of design briefs on models for early college high schools. The briefs focus on the academic and organizational design of the college component and tie those key features to a sustainable financing model. By engaging students in up to two years of demanding college-level work while still in high…

This issue of Policy Insights draws on findings from WICHE's report Accelerated Learning Options: Moving the Needle on Access and Success, to lay out some of the important policy issues that decision makers might consider when adopting new state policy related to accelerated learning or modifying policies already in existence. The publication…

Opportunities to earn college credit in high school, once limited to a few programs available only to a small percentage of students, have grown dramatically over the last decade. More and more states are adopting policies designed to create a wider array of opportunities--for a broader range of students--to get a head start on college. These…

It has been found repeatedly that when test takers are allowed to choose a subset of constructed response (CR) items to answer on a test, they tend to choose differently and often perform lower on more popularly chosen items. This study investigated the psychological factors that influence test takers choices. Using an experience that incorporated…

In large-scale assessments, some amount of background material is generally collected. Background questionnaires in the National Assessment of Educational Progress are the subject of this report. Most of the questions in NAEP background questionnaires have asked about course taking patterns and course content, but it is argued that the material…

This digest discusses ways in which high schools and community colleges can cooperate in order to support more successful student transitions. The digest describes five types of collaborations that achieve this goal: (1) K-16 partnerships; (2) dual credit programs; (3) tech prep programs; (4) middle college high schools; and (5) distance learning…

This report describes initiatives and services of the Massachusetts Department of Education for academically advanced students. The first section summarizes the department's state initiatives implemented as a result of the state's Education Reform Act of 1993, such as grants to enhance district gifted and talented programs and Advanced Placement…