At the fall 1996 Education Summit, 40 governors and 45 business leaders called for higher student achievement standards. This article provides some historical background for the standards-based education movement and introduces essays exploring the movement from various perspectives. Although some educators remain skeptical, standards-based…

The authors outline the process of generating student proficiency tests, including item generation, pilot testing among students, sampling and testing to tailor proficiency measurement to job market needs, using selected community members as sample test populations, and analysis of test results. (Author/DS)

Competency-based education programs could raise three kinds of legal issues: claims under the due process clause, claims of discrimination under the equal protection clause, and claims of negligence. (Author/JM)

Membership in the worldwide community means that students must possess globally competitive skills. In 1993, the author and the Colorado General Assembly worked to pass a comprehensive educational reform strategy that established "model" content standards in mathematics, science, geography, history, reading, and writing. Uniform…

This case study, conducted by a doctoral student in educational administration, indicates that Florida State University's Department of Educational Leadership is changing from a traditional classroom setting to a performance-based, student-centered ambience. Service is being delivered to students in various ways. Faculty members and students…

Washington State reform themes include movement from input- to output-based systems, student performance standards, and certification of mastery; shift from standardized testing to performance-based measurement; blurred distinctions between grades and schooling levels; greater local control in implementing teaching, learning, and assessment…