This "Report Card," third in a series, monitors the progress of each local school system in North Carolina and makes comparison among districts possible. Information is related to the outcomes of education based on student achievement. One comparison permitted is that of current levels of performance with those of previous years. Another…

Noting the improvement in the quality of schools and education that occurs when parents are actively involved in their children's schools, this activity guide provides ways that parents can forge partnerships with schools on a variety of levels. Following an invitation from the United States Secretary of Education for parents to participate in the…

This monograph represents an attempt to deepen the understanding of educational contexts and practices in Hungary and Finland, to shed some light on findings in multi-national studies, and to serve general information interests. The study documents observations about the Finnish educational scene in late 1992, although the situation has changed…

Resulting from a project undertaken by Iowa's Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) to develop course and program competencies for the assessment of student academic achievement, this plan describes the assessment model developed by the college. Introductory sections describe the process used to develop the plan and provide responses to…

A desire to raise student achievement levels is leading many educators and parents to work for restructuring and reforming U.S. schools. One of the many areas in which this effort is proving to be complex is the question of changing college admission criteria to respond to the changes in curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment that are occurring at…

This student learning outcomes assessment report from Prince George's Community College (PGCC) in Maryland summarizes findings of several ongoing assessments. Part I provides an executive summary and reviews changes in academic regulations and standards adopted in 1993-94, including: (1) extending minimum standards for academic standing to include…

This booklet urges teachers to teach in North Carolina, explaining that North Carolina is fast-growing with much to offer. North Carolina has a strong commitment to improving schools and has received high marks on a national report card for academic standards, student assessment, and providing equitable resources. The framework of educational…

Ribault (Florida) Senior High School has reported a dramatic increase in student achievement levels since implementing a comprehensive college preparation curriculum. Among the program changes that contributed to those gains are: (1) the establishment and consistent enforcement of a strong discipline program, including rules for student conduct, a…

In 1988, the Basic Skills Task Force was established to assess the effectiveness of four academic policies in addressing the needs of California community college students with skills deficiencies. The policies define the scope and content of Adult Basic Education and of Precollegiate Basic Skills Instruction in nondegree-applicable credit…

This report summarizes the discussions of a task force which focused on the concept of professional practice schools. These schools are public elementary, middle, or secondary schools which are structured, staffed, and supported to achieve three goals: student achievement, teacher induction, and support of research directed at the continuous…

In a survey of 1,500 administrators, most of the 400 respondents agreed by an 8 to 1 margin that reforms to raise academic standards in public schools are necessary. In high schools, a decline in reading, vocabulary, and math skills is due basically to a decreased academic emphasis. Solutions include more required courses, more opportunities for…

Designed to facilitate the research related to the preparation and presentation of arguments for the intercollegiate debate topic, this manual summarizes issues surrounding educational reform and quality control in American elementary and secondary schools. The excerpts from books, periodicals, and other sources not always readily available to…

Perspectives on the context and results of the investigation conducted by the National Commission on Excellence in Education are presented. It is noted that the Commission's analysis sought to determine the extent to which colleges fail to set and maintain high standards, and the extent to which they fail to make their measures and benchmarks of…

The high degree of autonomy college faculty members exercise in organizing and teaching courses suggests that faculty perceptions of educational purposes, subject matter structure and importance, and expectations for student learning are major determinants of educational success. Despite diversity and local autonomy present in its system, American…

A research-oriented project to improve the effectiveness of undergraduate education at the state University of Antwerp, Belgium, is described, and the higher education system and conditions in Belgium are noted. Attention was focused on the outcome-based paradigm, according to which the primary goal of instruction is to ensure that all students…