This report explores the issues and concerns related to the development of a process to assess college student learning. Its primary focus is the attainment of National Education Goal 5.5 by the year 2000 which reads, "The proportion of college graduates who demonstrate an advanced ability to think critically, communicate effectively, and…

The contemporary preoccupation with academic achievement may overlook the importance of preserving students' self-worth. Rankings of students are too often linked to judgments of moral worth; instead, the promotion of equal dignity in four areas (material well-being, individuality, communal affiliation, and wholeness) must form the broad goals of…

Between 1978 and 1983, Miami-Dade Community College (MDCC) undertook a comprehensive reform of its educational program in order to permit the continuation of the open door, while strengthening expectations and increasing the educational achievement of its graduates. Elements of the reform included the reinstatement of a placement testing program;…

The number of students retained in grade in the Austin (Texas) Independent School District (AISD) has increased dramatically since new promotion policies were instituted in 1981 and Texas House Bill (HB) 72 was passed. Elementary school promotion is now tied to mastery of essential skills; secondary students must meet attendance requirements, as…

This paper reanalyzed existing transcript data from: (1) the Study of Academic Prediction and Growth (High School Class of 1969) ; and (2) the New Youth Cohort of the National Longitudinal Study of Labor Market Experience (High School Classes of 1975-1981) in terms of various measures of the quantity of schooling, and in relation to changes in…

The excellent academic reputation enjoyed by the undergraduate division of the University of California (UC) is threatened by the decline in the number of community college transfer students and by their relatively poor academic performance. Contributing to this problem are five educational trends expected to continue into the 1980's: (1) the…

While granting college credit by examination seems to be on the increase in popularity, few educational researchers seem to be assessing the effect of proficiency credit on student educational variables. For this purpose, the transcripts of 349 students who had graduated from the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign campus) during the academic…

This collection of papers takes stock of 20 years of school reform in the United States, examining whether the nation was ever "at risk," and if so, whether it still is and which reforms have made a difference. Papers include "Introduction" (David T. Gordon); (1) "Riding Waves, Trading Horses: The Twenty-Year Effort to…

This report synthesizes research on helping at-risk students meet academic standards. The studies chosen had to be published after 1984, be implemented in the United States, relate to K-12 students, directly assess students' academic achievement, address strategies that could be implemented in the regular classroom, and use strategies targeting…

In providing its program for education reform, this book uses, as an analogy, the genetic model taken from the Human Genome project. In the first part, "Theoretical Underpinnings," the book explains why a genetic model can be used to improve school systems; describes the critical components of a world-class school system; and details the…

This report describes the development and implementation of a place-based curriculum for a small charter high school of 25 students in Wisconsin. The curriculum involved 100 days of field studies in local places such as historical archives, a restored wetland, a river valley, and a senior citizen community center. The students worked with 60…

The Longitudinal Evaluation of School Change and Performance followed the progress of students in high-poverty schools as they moved from third to fifth grade, investigating the impact on student achievement of specific classroom practices fostered by school-, district-, and state-level policies. This analysis, conducted between 1996-99 as part of…

The Longitudinal Evaluation of School Change and Performance (LESCP) analyses were organized around policies embodied in Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. This study measured changes in student performance in seventy-one high-poverty schools, which included many schools that had implemented standards-based reform policies. The…

In 1990, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) included a Trial State Assessment (TSA); for the first time in the NAEP's history, voluntary state-by-state assessments were made. The sample was designed to represent the 8th grade public school population in a state or territory. In 1996, 44 states, the District of Columbia, Guam,…

In 1990, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) included a Trial State Assessment (TSA); for the first time in the NAEP's history, voluntary state-by-state assessments were made. The sample was designed to represent the 8th grade public school population in a state or territory. In 1996, 44 states, the District of Columbia, Guam,…