This comprehensive evaluation of basic skills testing in California's elementary and secondary schools is divided into an executive summary and a collection of research reports. The summary evaluates current testing conducted by the state, school districts, and classroom teachers; describes experimental studies on new ways of testing and reporting…

This paper examines some impacts of basic skills proficiency testing of teachers in Arizona. A discussion of some legal issues involved in teacher proficiency testing is presented. Specific cases are cited which illustrate the fact that the courts have ruled that testing must show "job-relatedness" and a "rational basis for…

These proceedings of the 1983 New Jersey-Pennsylvania-Delaware conference are arranged in five sections. Section I, "National Issues," includes summaries of (1) a panel session on the role of educational research and research funding in the new Congress; (2) a paper on "most wanted answers" to questions concerning (a) teacher…

One of a series in reading, writing, and mathematics intended to acquaint teachers with the skills tested in each content area on the New Jersey High School Proficiency Test, this booklet on writing presents material that can be used in lesson planning, skills review, and practice testing. Following a report of the writing committee convened to…

Minimum competency cut-off scores on a statistics exam were estimated under four conditions: the Angoff judging method with item data (n=20), and without data available (n=19); and the Modified Angoff method with (n=19), and without (n=19) item data available to judges. The Angoff method required free response percentage estimates (0-100) percent,…

The first two-thirds of this book, an adaptation of the 1984 television documentary "To Save Our Schools, To Save Our Chldren," reports on an ABC News Closeup study of the challenges facing education in the United States. The book discusses the vast dispartities between educational ideals and realities, suggests that the future of…

A study was conducted by the Learning Assessment Retention Consortium of the California Community Colleges to determine the extent to which the state's community colleges had implemented matriculation practices which were recommended by the Board of Governors in 1984, but which had not received state funding. The study investigated college…

This report, commissioned by the Minister of Education of Alberta, reviews the programs of study and instructional materials used in four groups of approved private schools: schools using the Accelerated Christian Education curriculum; schools using the Alpha Omega program; Mennonite parochial schools; and Seventh Day Adventist schools. The review…

Recommendations concerning postsecondary accreditation in California are presented, with attention to public reliance on nongovernmental accreditation. After a review of the history of accreditation and its role in institutional oversight, attention is directed to national accreditation of colleges, regional accreditation by the Western…

Because the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) sets accreditation standards specifying that undergraduate business programs should concentrate their professional courses in the last 2 years of a 4-year program, and should offer only a limited amount of work below the junior year, community college transfer students…

Perceptions were obtained from former and current doctoral candidates and faculty concerning the research climate, doctoral advisory committee, and admission and continuation requirements at Texas A&M University's Department of Educational Curriculum and Instruction. The 27-item rating scale was completed by 126 individuals, a 72% return rate.…

A qualitative case study involving five educational institutions assessed the use of competency testing as a prerequisite for high school graduation, criterion for admission into college, criterion for teacher certification, and statewide assessment tool. Focus was on persons and processes involved in setting educational standards associated with…

A study examined the role of computer and information technology (CIT) instruction in the Youth Training Scheme (YTS). A number of successful local YTS training schemes and initiatives were identified and analyzed. One phase of this analysis focused on standards, accreditation, and progression in the CIT component of the YTS. Special attention was…

This document describes and evaluates the San Diego Unified School District's basic education program. In each chapter, a background section is followed by an objectives/action plan chart. Charts show accomplishments of the past school year, 1982-83, and objectives for 1983-84. Basic education is defined in Chapter I as the core curriculum of a…

National concerns about teacher education formed the framework for a survey questionnaire submitted to 33 Georgia colleges of education. Responses were received from 23 institutions, which provided information on developing trends in Georgia teacher education for the academic years 1977-82. Major areas covered were: (1) producing the necessary…