Costly state assessment programs present a need for re-appraisal of their function and resulting impact on state programs and individual educational environments. (RAO)

Many would-be reformers have become so entranced with educational standards that they fail to recognize accompanying problems, such as optimal generality and subordination levels. There is really no difference between instructional objectives and content standards. Other perils of content standards include inadequate descriptive vigor,…

A well-constructed criterion-referenced test has an unambiguous descriptive scheme, an adequate number of items, a sufficiently limited focus, reliability, validity, and comparative data. (Author/MLF)

Detroit's minimum competency testing program focuses on improving basic skills instruction. Using test results as indicators of areas of weakness and strength in 12 subjects, teachers have a better understanding of the learning tasks and subskills needed for mastery. (WD)

The author describes the Predischarge Education Program (PREP) developed by the Department of Defense as a competency-based high school completion program for military personnel. (DS)

Argues that educational focus is stronger and clearer with educational competencies rather than with educational objectives. (SL)

Developers of high stakes criterion-referenced tests are urged to formulate test tasks so that efficient instruction can promote student mastery of the domain. Time-on-task has been promoted by instructional psychologists as preferable to test teaching. (DWH)

When designing competency based education programs to meet state requirements, California educators would do well to select only a small number of highly significant competencies per basic skill area, for which they can devise on-target instruction and valid competency measures. (SJL)

Guidelines for setting performance standards for minimum competency testing are suggested. Because qualitative judgments are involved, certain options should be considered, such as periodic reviews and necessary revisions of standards; use of experience-based rather than arbitrary standards; and thorough consideration of standards, even if the…

This analysis defends the proposition that fewer competencies should be used in the organizing structure for teacher education programs. An objectives-oriented teacher education approach is described and three minimal competencies for such a strategy isolated, along with alternative assessment tactics for each. (Author/JA)

Fewer competencies should be used as the organizing structure for teacher education programs, since all relevant topics cannot be covered thoroughly anyway. One variant of an outcomes-focused approach to teacher education is an objectives-oriented strategy. The criterion is not what the teacher does but what happens to pupils as a consequence of…

If teacher competency tests were constructed according to a criterion-referenced paradigm, it would be possible both to assess worthwhile competencies and describe them with sufficient rigor. Such tests would thus be amenable to the design of effective instruction, permitting aspiring teachers to master the competencies identified. (Author/GC)