The first annual National Education Goals Report is presented, focusing on measuring/monitoring the nation's/states' progress toward meeting the President's and governors' six national education goals. The most recent quality indicators available are presented, which are: results-oriented (focusing on whether or not the nation is achieving the…

In 1989, Ohio's Kent State University (KSU) Office of Admissions and Records developed a list of 1,404 students who had transferred from Ohio's Cuyahoga Community College (CCC) to KSU between 1979 and 1989. Demographic, enrollment, academic performance, and graduation data were analyzed to determine the impact on transfer students of a proposed…

The state of Kentucky has recently raised its standards for persons who apply for admission to teacher education. The plan, mandated by the State Board of Education, involves a selection/retention process for candidates who apply for initial admission to the program and for candidates who progress through the program. A minimum level of…

Positions taken by the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC) on selected topics are traced over the years 1969 through 1982. Chronological listings of ASCCC positions are provided for the following topics as compiled in 1980: academic standards, accreditation, credit and noncredit course policy, general education, grade policy,…

Four annual surveys of the 50 states provide data for analyzing nation-wide trends in competency assessment of teachers. Most state plans for teacher competency assessment include testing one or more areas of basic skills, professional or pedagogical skills, and academic knowledge. The testing occurs at the entry level--admission to the teacher…

Methods of working with foreign students, especially those from Malaysia, have been modified at Southern Illinois University. Problems have arisen in dealing with two different groups of Malaysian students: recent graduates from secondary schools, and graduates of Malaysian teacher training colleges. The first group comprises very young students,…

Cutscores for certifying competence on the College Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST) have been raised three times since the test was implemented in 1982. In 1989, a study was conducted at Miami-Dade Community College (MDCC) to challenge the contention that a vast majority of students taking the CLAST under the largest and most recent jump in…

Educational policy makers have questioned the effects of school reform on at-risk students and suggested that higher academic standards may be associated with greater numbers of dropouts. This study examines school average dropout rates for 2 consecutive years in conjunction with percent aid to families with dependent children (AFDC), total…

This report of the Task Force on Teacher Education in Missouri focuses on producing a high-quality cadre of teachers. The report is organized around three themes: (1) supply and demand of teachers, teacher recruitment, and selective admission; (2) appropriate preservice preparation of teachers with academically rigorous teacher education programs;…

This report discusses three recent developments in foreign and second language education. The first is the "proficiency movement," which is leading teachers and curriculum planners to find effective ways of measuring functional language proficiency and of bringing students to pragmatically useful levels of speaking, listening, reading,…

A survey was conducted among 489 public colleges in the Southern Regional Education Board states to determine cutting scores for placing students into regular versus remedial college classes. Results indicated a large number and variety of tests in reading, writing, and mathematics--almost 100 combinations of 70 different tests--were used to place…

This report provides statistical information on the 35 large urban school systems that comprise the Council of Great City Schools. Data are organized into the following categories: (1) enrollment and demographics (including racial composition, children below poverty level, and private school, handicapped, vocational education and limited English…

This speech presents a teacher's account of the implementation of the Standards of Excellence Program in a Denver, Colorado, elementary school. Eight questions from the assessment instrument are cited that prompted the staff to reevaluate the educational program. Results of the assessment were analyzed by a committee, and objectives were set by…

Using four large existing databases on student performance in the elementary grades, this study involves a task-by-task, year-by-year cross-sectional analysis of six topics in computation. Information about what students eventually learn and when they learn it is provided by the data analysis; information about when skills are introduced and…

During the 1982-83 school year the Spencerport (New York) Central School District began a comprehensive project to study the effective schools research and its implications at all levels of a suburban school system. A leadership planning team (consisting of teachers, principals, and district personnel) participated in a series of workshops and…