To assist parents and educators in preparing students for the 21st century, Wisconsin citizens have become involved in the development of challenging academic standards in 12 curricular areas. Having clear standards for students and teachers makes it possible to develop rigorous local curricula and valid, reliable assessments. This model of…

A disparity in high school coursework currently exists between college preparation requirements and state board/school district graduation requirements in Minnesota. Because graduation requirements are general, the extensiveness and quality of curriculum requirements can vary greatly by school district and building. This information brief compares…

The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) is a specialized accrediting body created by the American Counseling Association (ACA) and its membership divisions to provide a nationally based standards review process for the counseling profession's graduate level preparation programs. Accreditation of…

The New Standards Project, a joint program of the Learning Research and Development Center at the University of Pittsburgh and the National Center on Education and the Economy, is working to set very high, voluntary national education standards for all students and to create a performance-based examination system. Approximately 20 states and 6…

Educational assessment in higher education as seen by those who have a key part in the process is considered, with reference to the British system. Ways in which the assessment of students can be categorized, and the need for every assessor to have a clear and explicit purpose are addressed, along with the principles of fairness, validity, and…

This paper offers answers to nine important questions concerning standard-setting issues and methods: (1) Should normative or content-referenced standards be used? (2) Different standard-setting methods yield different results. What is your reaction to this finding? That of your clients? Does this finding present a problem for the application of…

Results support the adaptation-level hypothesis with regard to college grading standards for low and middle ability levels with weaker support for the hypothesis at the high ability level. Implications for major field enrollment, changing admission standards, and evaluating admission experiments are discussed. (Author/BJG)

Six studies of the reading standards of British school children were critically reviewed, special attention being paid to the statistical analysis and evaluation of results. (Author/RK)

Citing historical examples as contrast, the author examines the strains facing higher education today (declining enrollments, accountability, governmental expectations, public opinion) and offers some suggestions for universities to counteract these strains. (PG)

Since 1983, Arkansas schools have undergone vast changes to improve the quality of education in the state. The Arkansas State Supreme Court had ruled that the state school aid distribution formula was unconstitutional and needed to be rewritten. A standards committee examined the curriculum offerings of 382 secondary schools in 365 districts and…

Testimony was presented at this hearing about the work of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and current legislative proposals to provide federal assistance for its efforts. Suggestions, comments, and concerns were offered by representatives of the education profession, members of Congress, educational associations, and the…

This inservice document provides information for educators responsible for designing a preliminary plan for completion of a self-study which leads to accreditation by the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges. Accreditation of public schools in Alaska is controlled locally and is voluntary. The first section of this manual briefly…

Teacher certification is the education system's process for assuring that public school teachers possess minimum qualifications. Each state determines its own certification standards. Increased mobility among teachers suggests that teacher candidates should have information about general requirements for certification and where to locate…

According to a national survey of 1,200 adults conducted between November 1984 and January 1985, Americans are solidly in favor of raising standards for graduation from junior and senior high schools, even if the changes result in the failure of their own children to graduate. The respondents were not willing to support these reforms if they were…

This report argues that if the United States is to have a vibrant democracy, avert the growth of a permanent underclass, and have a high-wage economy, schools must graduate the vast majority of students with achievement levels long thought possible only for a privileged few. In the face of an increasing demand for teachers, a declining supply of…