Developed by a committee of 13 experts in both economics and teacher education, these basic recommendations concerning economic education requirements for future elementary and secondary school teachers are intended to stimulate positive changes in preservice teacher education practices compatible with national efforts to improve teacher…

When a variety of groups became concerned with a perceived deficiency in public education in the 1970's, critical attention was successively focused on student accountability, the school curriculum, and teachers. This digest briefly reports on teacher competency testing. The 1980 Gallup Poll showed that 85% of citizens polled said teachers should…

Facing the problem of a wide discrepancy in grading standards for student essays, the English department at a Texas community college developed a standardized method of grading students' expository and persuasive essays. The department established a committee of 10 full-time instructors whose objective was to standardize grading for all required…

A study was conducted to analyze the relationship between the first-semester grade point average (GPA) of nursing students at Vermont College and their scores on the Nursing State Board Examination. The study sought to determine whether a GPA of 1.75 (which is currently required for progression in the nursing program beyond the first semester)…

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) was initiated in the mid-1960's to collect student achievement information over time and describe the data in ways meaningful to the nation's educational and civic leaders. This work presents the Florida perspective on how NAEP can be improved to aid educational decision-makers in the…

Nevada's policies on student transfer from the community colleges to the universities in the University of Nevada System (UNS) are codified in this statement. After section 1 outlines the assumptions underlying the state policy, section 2 presents the UNS Articulation Board's role with respect to policy recommendations, the establishment of task…

The Academic Program Evaluation Paradigm (APEP) is a five-stage process for participating institutions and their faculties to structure inquiry into their academic programs and develop concrete procedures to effect institutional changes. APEP was developed and implemented by 10 member institutions of the American Association of State Colleges and…

This collection of reports, outlines, and instructions provides information on the development, content, and use of the College-Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST), an achievement test that measures the communication and computation skills of college students as mandated by Florida state legislation. First, a status report on the development of…

This paper develops a concept of educational adequacy linked to the economic model of the education production function. A production model standard of adequacy in financing education requires a specific and stable definition of adequate educational outcomes, an improved understanding of the relationship between school resources and educational…

The use of standardized tests for program evaluation, student placement, and student progression in order to improve the quality of higher education is discussed. It is noted that student achievement is being used as a criterion for judging programs as part of state assessments. Although standardized test scores have long been used by institutions…

The use of "academic forgiveness," which allows students to be considered for readmission or graduation to college, is discussed, with attention to the procedures used by nine state colleges in New Jersey. The student is allowed an opportunity for low grades or other evaluations to be removed, under certain conditions, from grade point…

A three-year study on the impact of admitting underprepared community college students on academic standards is reviewed, along with implications for postsecondary education. In summarizing factors contributing to a reduced emphasis on critical literacy at the community college, attention was directed to changes in institutional characteristics…

Part of a systematic, in-depth assessment of Miami-Dade Community College's (MDCC's) educational programs, student support systems, and selected campus-level activities, this volume of the college's institutional self-study report examines the impact and effectiveness of student information systems and performance standards. This report presents…

This document consists of more than 30 previously published journal articles and reports that focus on aspects of teacher certification. Section one of this volume presents articles on the specific issues and problems underlying the current condition of teacher quality that affect decision making policy. The imminent shortage of qualified teachers…

Presently, service learning is utilized as a tool for learning about something other than service, such as: gaining civic dispositions, learning subject matter, practicing inquiry techniques, or questioning inequality. What might happen if, instead, an exploration of service itself grounded classroom studies and field work, fostering explicit…