Maintains that professional development based on competency-based education and training is growing. Reviews postsecondary inservice teacher education programs. Argues that democratic traditions in teaching and learning should be included in professional development programs. (CFR)

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…

On account of concern about declining achievement levels of high school graduates and proposed state legislation increasing graduation requirements to address this concern, this report analyzes current and proposed high school graduation requirements in Illinois, based on data compiled from local school documents, and compares the data to…

Maintains that the debate over the social studies curriculum has been heavily influenced by a small group of conservative foundations, academics, and the federal government. These groups work toward creating an ideological consensus that promotes a national identity and strives to preserve European American dominant culture. (MJP)

Recognizes the leadership role played by professional and educational organizations, most notably the National Geographic Society (NGS), in promoting geography education. The NGS and other organizations established standards and guidelines concerning content and instruction. Includes brief descriptions of activities and their sponsoring…

When the nation of Pakistan was first created, school entrance and civil service examinations were administered in a foreign language--English. A major concern is that enrollment in primary education only increased from 17 percent in 1947 to 48 percent in 1983, with stil a very high dropout rate. National and province-wide boards of education were…

Attempts to make some sense of the Byzantine matrix of governing agencies, accreditation boards, and the objectives and goals of teacher education programs in England. Significant ideological differences exist between the academic accrediting boards and the governing agencies. Discusses the implications of this for higher education and educational…

The papers in this compilation address excellence in vocational education from the perspectives of four educational levels--secondary, postsecondary, adult, and teacher education. The implications of the recent national study reports on education are examined for each level, and standards of excellence and recommendations for action are suggested.…

Learning improvement programs for underprepared postsecondary students are reviewed, and a Decision Guide for Effective Programs, which summarizes knowledge needed for decision making, is presented. Research data are analyzed to identify features of learning improvement programs associated with improved grade point average and retention.…

A technical advisory committee assisted the Alabama State Department of Education in establishing passing scores and equating test forms of the Alabama High School Graduation Examination (AHSGE). The committee examined four methods of setting cutting scores: (1) Jensen's theoretical method--probability theory is used to set standards that are…

The papers in this book reflect current debates on academic standards and quality assurance, and speak from the perspective of institutional leaders and national quality bodies and higher education researchers. Included are reports on the progress of several international quality initiatives and studies on the impact of external quality assurance…

The report presents results of two seminars, held in Miami (Florida) and Cambridge (England), in which representatives of two groups, The European Association for International Education and the National Association for Foreign Student Affairs: Association of International Educators, met for intensive discussion of the methods for and design of…

The paper summarizes a National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) report, "Reading, Science and Mathematic Trends: A Closer Look," in which achievement trends are compared in several subjects for 4th, 8th, and 11th grade black students, white students, low achievers, and high achievers. Findings indicate that while overall…

Florida state legislation has mandated the evaluation of its compensatory education programs. The Florida Accountability Act of 1976 called for minimum basic skills testing in grades 3, 5, 8, and 11 (subsequently amended to grade 10). In 1977, the Florida Compensatory Education Act mandated remedial programs for students performing below the…

Written by an interdisciplinary group of experts in education, psychology, sociology, and other fields, this landmark handbook provides a thorough examination of U.S. secondary education from the private academies of Colonial America to the comprehensive high schools and alternative schools of today. This accessible compendium is a treasure trove…