After tracing European study of the Middle East from medieval times, the author concludes that, for all the money and effort being expended in English and American universities, results are disappointing. He notes problems of partisanship, influence of outside financial benefactors, poor academic standards, the language difficulty, and…

The author examines the role of teacher education programs and state certification agencies in determining who is academically and emotionally qualified to teach. He discusses some changes in education and certification practices which could improve the quality of teachers entering the profession. (Author/SJL)

Recent books presenting the neoconservative criticism of higher education are reviewed including books by Allan Bloom, Charles Sykes, Jacques Barzun, Peter Shaw, Roger Kimball, and Thomas Short. Common assumptions include the worsening of American education resulting from warped curriculum reform and distorted performance standards. Agreement with…

Although prevailing research indicates that holding back students carries negative effects, retention is becoming ever more popular. Administrators seeking secure funding for retention alternatives face considerable resistance, while the decision to add a full year of expenditures for a retained student is made without considering budgetary…

Describes the assessment of student learning outcomes in six domains: general education, transfer programs, vocational and occupational education, remedial and developmental education, continuing education, and affective and noncognitive areas. Discusses the use of assessment results and the implications of assessment for external accountability…

The authors take an historical look at the changes in public education leading to the establishment of alternative education programs to help practitioners understand this fast-growing population. Current legislation (IDEA, 2004; NCLB, 2001) mandates that educators hold all students to the same high academic standards. Administrators and teachers…

According to recent research, from Ivy League universities to community colleges only between 10% and 20% of students receive grades lower than a "B-," while the most frequently given grade is an "A." Causes of this grade inflation can be found in students' objections to receiving "D's" and "F's" after paying high tuitions and even the…

The momentum of Outcome Based Education (OBE) appears to be growing. This paper presents an overview of OBE and its prospects for successful educational change. Successful implementation requires 3 to 5 years; the involvement of administrators and staff in the development process; the use of a top-down approach; alignment of all areas with one…

There is, among some groups in America today, a sense of urgency about educational reform. This publication summarizes the proceedings of the 1996 National Education Summit held in Palisades, New York. Governors and business, education, and community leaders met to initiate a national effort to establish high academic standards, assessment, and…

Essential to the definition of an effective school is an operational definition of minimum academic mastery as the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and concepts that enable the student to be demonstrably successful in the next grade level in the same school or in any other school in the United States. An effective schools program, such as the one…

The focus of this study is the implementation and effects of high school graduation requirements enacted as a result of the recent wave of state reforms of education. The study concentrates on high school graduation course requirements. Interview data on the intent and effects of the requirements were gathered in six states, 24 districts, 32 high…

Legislative and/or state department of education mandates requiring some form of competency assessment of teachers are currently in force in 38 states. An additional seven states report planning activity, and only five states report no plans to test the competency of teachers. Descriptions are given of competency assessment activities in each…

Reports of declining test scores and high school graduates who can't read or compute have triggered a public demand for higher standards in education. In light of this demand, National Assessment re-examined its role with respect to raising educational quality in this country. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) asked seven…

Both educators and the public are becoming increasingly alarmed by the magnitude of school discipline problems. Surveys of secondary schools reveal increasing incidences of rioting, arson, violence, and property damage. The increase of discipline problems has been linked to the influence of college disruptions, violence on television, the civil…

Emerging themes in student assessment include: (1) faculty need to specify skills and knowledge expectations for effective assessment; (2) assessment criteria must be established; (3) there are many ways to assess student learning; and (4) faculty must become more involved in assessment. (MSE)