Reviewing research on grade retention, this paper describes tools and guidelines developed as an aid in retention decisions and examines actual promotion/retention policies and practices. Most research on academic and social effects of grade retention suffers from poor methodology, leaving the conclusions suspect and the results contradictory. The…

This document is designed to assist classroom teachers in preparing students to complete successfully the social studies component of the Alabama High School Graduation Exam (AHSGE). The teaching strategies, activities, and resources herein are meant to assist teachers in specifically addressing the mandated standards and objectives of the AHSGE.…

A study at a university with strong mathematics/science curricula found that at matriculation, women and men had similar high school rank, women had lower mathematics test scores; most majored in science or engineering; women had higher undergraduate degree completion rates at four years; and grade point averages differed little. (MSE)

A curriculum is a repertoire of learning experiences, planned and organized according to the program's educational goals. The curriculum development process of early childhood education differs in many ways from that of other levels of education. Intended for curriculum planners, education policy-makers and other early childhood education…

Eight papers from a conference on language teaching are presented in this publication. The conference brought together some 500 foreign language educators, and the papers contained in this volume were selected as representative of the variety of topics addressed at the conference and because they challenge readers to expand their frames of…

Province-wide results from the Diploma Examinations Program of the Alberta (Canada) schools are presented for the three examinations of the entire 1991-92 school year (January, June, and August). The annual report also provides summaries of results by gender, for population subgroups, and for achievement-over-time studies. School marks,…

In response to a legislative requirement, Redlands Community College (RCC) initiated a requirement in 1991 for students to take the Assessment of Skills for Successful Entry and Transfer (ASSET) test. The only exemptions were for those students enrolling in fewer than 6 hours of classes and not taking either English Composition or a college-level…

English and Spanish versions of a guide to testing reform are presented. The guide explains alternatives to standardized testing for educational assessment and shows how these new methods of evaluation will improve education. Standardized tests are used for an increasing number of purposes in the school system, but there is no proof that their use…

Some of the major findings of CSE's (Center for the Study of Evaluation) Test Use in Schools Project are synthesized and interpreted. The Project incorporated fieldwork and survey techniques to answer questions about the kinds of tests teachers administer in their classrooms, the kinds of information teachers need from tests to make decisions…

This guide is designed to help classroom teachers implement the Alabama Course of Study: Mathematics K-12. It is inclusive also of the objectives tested by the Stanford Achievement Tests and the Alabama Basic Competency Tests. One characteristic of the curriculum guide is that it clearly states what students should learn in each grade level. These…

This study analyzed data from the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) taken by high school seniors between 1975 and 1986. Its purpose was to study trends in the numbers, test scores, and other characteristics of examinees planning to major in mathematics, science, and engineering, and to compare these data with comparable data from examinees planning…

Part of a series designed to provide practical resources for transition personnel on a variety of topics essential to the process of preparing individuals with disabilities for adulthood, this guide focuses on assessment for transition planning. Chapter 1, "Transitions Assessment: What Do We Need To Know about Students and Why?," discusses the…

These two journal issues present articles on the following: "Understanding and Teaching American Cultural Thought through English Metaphors" (Carl Zhonggang Gao); "An Alternative Model for Novice-Level Elementary ESL Education" (Karen Duke, Ann Mabbott); "Wisconsin's Approach to Academic Assessment for Limited-English…

Introduces ways to assess students' reading ability and improve reading of social studies textbooks. Combines reading scores from Iowa Tests of Basic Skills and individual sessions to understand students' reading ability levels. Uses cooperative reading groups, reading labs, and whole-class oral reading to improve skills. Suggests pre- and…

Intended both to evaluate the California testing program's success in assessing student achievement in the basic skills and to suggest possible improvements in the program, this report includes an executive summary evaluating current testing procedures, describing experimental studies on new ways of testing and reporting testing information, and…