Blacks on average continue to score about 200 points below whites on the Scholastic Assessment Tests, but the racial scoring gap is much lower in some states than others. In some states, however, notably California, the gap is widening, giving rise to concerns for college admissions for African Americans. (SLD)

This document examines the accomplishments of California's educational reform movement (1983-1993) in the context of the five major recommendations outlined in the 1983 report, "A Nation at Risk." A more comprehensive view of the state's systemic reforms is also provided. The five goals included the following: (1) strengthen graduation…

Assessment data are presented from a representative sample of California public school students in grades 4 through 12 in 115 school districts as of December, 1986. The sample represents 5% of the state's enrollment in grades 4 through 12. Students were tested in reading comprehension, writing, and computation. In grade 12, 9,250 students took one…

A salary-growth model is presented as a practical solution to the problem of compensating teachers equitably. An empirical validation using data from 24,785 California teachers, 15,233 Ohio teachers, and 5,489 South Carolina teachers demonstrates the general applicability of the model. A scenario for model use is presented. (SLD)

During the 1978-79 school year, all third grade pupils in California public schools were tested in reading achievement. Tests of reading, written expression, spelling, and mathematics were administered to all sixth and twelfth graders. Various subtests of the Survey of Basic Skills, which was developed specifically for the California Assessment…