Explains that courts have generally subjected disciplinary action to procedural due process under the Fourteenth Amendment, while academic sanctions have garnered greater deference. Examines the judicial history of this dual track, establishes the difficulty of characterizing as either disciplinary or academic the countless situations reflecting…

A history of school psychology accreditation and a chronology of program decisions are developed from perspectives on accreditation by the American Psychological Association (APA), the National Council for Accreditation in Teacher Education (NCATE), the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), and the efforts of the APA/NASP Joint Task…

Argues that no solid basis exists in the research literature for developing, placing, and aligning educational standards in school curricula or for placing subject-matter content at specific grade levels (scope and sequence). Welcomes input from readers who have information regarding educational standards and their development, placement, and…

Notes that a positive impact of the development of academic content standards is that the movement has caused educators to start talking to each other. Proposes that another change resulting from the standards movement is that it removes the textbook from the center of curriculum development. Argues that using standards can create individuality…

Discusses the educational legacy of Hilda Taba's work, especially her 1962 book "Curriculum Development: Theory and Practice." Highlights Taba's process for selecting content. (Contains 21 references.) (PKP)

Presents case study of organizational arrangement in which responsibility for administering scholastic progression and academic dismissals belongs to Dean of Students in Department of Student Affairs, a unit of Division of Student Affairs and Services managed by Vice President for Student Affairs. Claims this arrangement fosters healthy relations…

The executive director of the National Collegiate Athletic Association will ask colleges to consider implementing a system of accreditation for the association members' sports programs, a major departure from past association practice. The move comes among mounting public skepticism about the integrity of big-time college sports. (MSE)

The National Collegiate Athletic Association's three-person research staff conducts several projects each year and coordinates others by university researchers, but without the publicity from the new rule on academic standards for freshman eligibility. Most research addresses a variety of topics such as athlete academic achievements, injuries, and…

While acknowledging that standards and criteria are not exclusive alternatives in accreditation, argues that the preference must be for criteria rather than standards if the intent of accreditation is the improvement of the quality of colleges and universities. Raises questions in response to assumptions about the measurement of quality. (DMM)

Covers various issues related to a move towards the creation of a new system of accrediting institutions of higher education in Great Britain, and the proposed change in emphasis from external to internal validation. Discusses the problems of defining academic quality, the role of government in education, and the future of the Council for National…

Reports on the formation of the Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE) summarizes the background to ALTE's formation, and discusses its objectives: to establish common levels of proficiency; to establish common standards for all stages of the testing process; and to collaborate on joint projects and in the exchange of ideas. (CK)

Focuses on the need to develop a standard of language qualifications to facilitate the movement of workers within the European Union and on the establishment of a framework with five language levels relating to vocational qualifications by LangCred. Certificates and examinations assigned to the first three levels are stored in a database system.…

Educators can resolve the perennial conflict between those wanting to spare students the stigma of failure and those concerned with maintaining standards by adopting Carl Washburne's evaluation method. During the 1920s, Washburne proposed "adjusting the school to the child" by individualizing instruction and using evaluation to discover…

Controversy surrounds the recently released voluntary national standards for U.S. history and world history. At the center of the debate is the issue of how history should be portrayed. Directions for ordering copies of the history standards and sample passages from the standards guidebooks are provided in sidebars to the article. (MLF)

Analyzes the political correctness and anti-PC viewpoints and presents elements of a critical perspective that challenges and poses alternatives. Considers the distinction between political education and politicized education. (SK)