Minimal competency testing of students can be an effective tool for improving educational quality if applied appropriately with adequate safeguards. The failure of academic standards through grade inflation, a policy of social promotion rather than academic promotion, and weak curricula has reduced public confidence in education and encouraged…

Reasons for slipping academic standards in U.S. community colleges and a specific program combating this problem are discussed. Two reasons are offered for this slippage; the first has to do with the ambiguous state of the community college faculty. These teachers are said to have difficulty defining their roles because they feel a powerlessness…

Research findings concerning the relationship of grade retention to the self-concepts and academic achievement of middle and junior high school students, and to school promotion standards are examined. The few studies conducted in this area of research seem to indicate that (1) failure to be promoted to a higher grade is related to children's…

The quality of education being offered by institutions of higher education is being questioned. Trends toward educational quality are evident by court cases that are cited; the issue has been school finance. The equal protection clause of the Constitution has been extended to apply to several areas through the idea of "fundamental rights." The…

The economic and educational environment that in the mid-1970s led to the growth in the numbers of U.S. students who sought foreign medical education are reviewed and contrasted with the environment in the mid-1980s. Recent data are cited that support a reversal of that earlier trend. (Author/MLW)

In the spring of 2000, Alberta Education (previously Alberta Learning) appointed the Review Committee on Outcomes (RCO) to consult with Albertans to find out what they expected from the K-12 education system and how these expectations are being met. The committee consisted of stakeholder, as well as a parent and a member at large. This committee…

There is consensus in the United States that schools are not succeeding. This paper presents recent research in mathematics, science, language arts, social studies, and the arts to discuss ways in which to improve instruction and learning in these areas. Featured topics include cooperative learning, problem solving, use of technology, whole…

This paper provides an overview of the types of testing accommodations used for students with disabilities and presents arguments for and against their use. It begins by discussing student participation in educational assessments and federal requirements concerning the participation of students with disabilities. The types of accommodations are…

In this interview with New American Schools (NAS) editors, the author explains how design-based assistance to schools works and suggests reasons why it might help schools become more successful in teaching all students to high standards. Questions cover such areas as the features of the NAS effort that distinguish it from other well-known models;…

A review of 154 research studies found that mathematics education reform contributed to higher student achievement only when there was substantial implementation of reform. The main obstacle to implementation was teacher beliefs about mathematics teaching. The best method for increasing implementation is sustained inservice teacher education that…

This article reviews findings from research and practice in school reform, with a special focus on literacy outcomes in schools with students at risk. It describes videotape excerpts that illustrate the "Getting Results Model." This model involves four key change factors: goals, indicators, assistance from others, and leadership. (Contains…

This article explores the relationship between the inclusion movement and the development of national standards for "all students," and outlines their implications for technology-assisted improvements in assessment of students with disabilities. Testing accommodations, such as input/output adaptations, can be facilitated with technology, and new…

Reviews current trends away from multiple-choice testing to alternative forms of student evaluation. Discusses elements contributing to these trends: emphases on critical-thinking skills and active learning, research supporting a constructivist view of learning, efforts to develop academic standards and companion performance-based assessments, and…

The national context in which occupational standards and National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) have been developed is described. NVQ methodology is explained, and issues arising from NVQ implementation are outlined. Developments in accreditation within the contexts of counselling and psychotherapy and guidance for learning and work are…

A number of ethical principles and values that underpin occupational and professional standards are identified, alongside particular ethical positions that may be useful for clarifying ethical decisions. The paper is divided into three sections: (1) identifying occupational and professional standards and values; (2) an exposition of popular…