Examples of programs and activities at North Seattle Community College (NSCC) are used to support the argument that there is an important relationship among faculty renewal, student success, and basic learning skills that should be strengthened and promoted. First, underpinning assumptions are put forth regarding faculty renewal and faculty…

Three aspects of the match between education and the demands of our changing economic situation are examined. First, the skills students will need for the future are identified. These skills included competencies in reading, writing, speaking and listening, mathematics, science, reasoning, basic employment, economics, and computer literacy.…

This report from the Grady High School in Atlanta (Georgia) provides information on student achievement for the 1986-87 school year. The narrative presents 15 findings concerning enrollment, attendance, reading achievement, math achievement, and achievement in other subject areas. Conclusions and recommendations generated from these findings are…

Current methods and instruments for assessing college student academic outcomes are identified and described, and possible outcome measures of NCRIPTAL's (National Center for Research to Improve Postsecondary Teaching and Learning) are suggested. Section I defines college outcomes from several perspectives, including pressures for outcome…

The performance of pupils, individual schools, and the Wichita Public School System is depicted in a quantitative report of the results of the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) administered as part of the system's basic testing program. The ITBS battery measured vocabulary, reading, language, work-study and mathematics skills and results are given…

National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results indicate that most students understand the fundamentals of reading, writing and mathematics; and that achievement levels have remained stable across time for older students and may be improving for younger students, particularly in the areas of reading and writing. However, NAEP data…

The stability of annual normal curve equivalent (NCE) on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills over a period of six years was established in a previous study of status (position within a reference group). This study investigated the relationship between status stability and student achievement level. Third grade students in a suburban school district who…

Proficiency Verification Systems (PVS) is a new concept in providing management information about local achievement in basic skills. The program includes a network of assessment and reporting components which can be combined in varied ways to generate proficiency information about individual pupils and groups, for teachers, principals, and school…

The Comprehensive Basic Skills Program Review was designed by the New Jersey State Department of Education to provide a diagnosis of problems contributing to inadequate achievement in the basic skills. Local program reviews followed the state developed process and were conducted by many schools. The process analyzed the existing school programs…

The need to develop students' critical thinking skills is examined in this paper, along with existing academic support services, federal regulations and requirements, data on minority group students, and measures of program effectiveness. Many programs provide tutorial services to help the student meet the demands of coursework and to increase…

This article discusses the fairness and legality of competency testing programs for the handicapped. The following concerns are addressed: (1) exemptions for handicapped students; (2) individual determinations; (3) differential diplomas and standards; and (4) differential assessment procedures. A discussion of the legal implications indicates…

The profiles of the California Statewide assessment program permit comparison of a district's test performance with that of previous years and of other districts. After a brief explanation of the tests' development, content, administration, and limitations, this interpretive guide explains how the results are displayed in the district profiles. A…

TO REDUCE THE 35 PERCENT ATTRITION RATE OF FIRST YEAR STUDENTS (1960-61) THE COLLEGE DEVELOPED A BASIC STUDIES PROGRAM TO SALVAGE THOSE WITH LOW ADMISSION SCORES OR SUBSEQUENT ACADEMIC DIFFICULTIES. THIS STUDY EXAMINED THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAM BY COMPARING THREE GROUPS--(1) THOSE WHO TOOK THE BASIC STUDIES REMEDIAL COURSES BEFORE ENROLLING…

The relationship was investigated between test scores obtained from the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) and the Iowa Tests of Educational Development (ITED), and the grade point average (GPA) at the high school and college level. The data used were unique in providing a longitudinal comparison of college students' performance with the results of…

The author, one of the most outspoken proponents of fundamentalist education, describes what he sees as the invasion of illiteracy, the departure from discipline, and the paucity of patriotism rampant in today's schools. The responsibility for these problems, he believes, lies with boards of education, teachers' unions, the tenure system,…