In the past decade, the role of higher education in workforce development has emerged as a key issue around the world. Leading authorities inside and outside of government have begun questioning whether colleges and universities are preparing graduates with the competencies and skills necessary to compete in a dynamic global economy. As part of a…

By 1985, nearly half of the nation's public school students will be required to pass a minimum competency test (MCT) for high school graduation. Supporters of objectives underlying the MCTs suggest that the tests will force school systems to take their responsibilities to all children more seriously. Critics argue that students who fail will…

Reports on the development of an assessment instrument to test basic communication skills necessary for students' success in college. Covers the instrument's conceptual foundation, administration procedures, development, and analysis. (PD)

In fall 1992, the Iowa Department of Education began pilot tests of the Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System (CASAS), an assessment system evaluating reading, math, and problem solving in a life skills context for adult remedial programs. This document provides reports from the nine community colleges that served as test sites, describing…

Peoria's efforts with the development and implications of a Minimum Competency Testing (MCT) program are described, including the program model used, numbers of high school seniors and seventh graders who passed the pilot test sequence, and views on the advantages, disadvantages, and effectiveness of the MCT program. (Editor/SJL)

This report provides direction for assessment policy and practice in employability and work force education and training programs serving youth and adult learners in Iowa. It provides a research base for the consideration of common assessment instruments for youth and adult learners in these programs. The report first identifies existing…

A workplace literacy project had two goals: (1) to improve the productivity and efficiency of the manufacturing industry in Chicago and Cook County, Illinois, by providing workplace literacy instruction to workers who lack the basic skills required for their jobs; and (2) to improve educational programs to meet manufacturing industry needs by…

To overcome various reporting constraints, numerous strategies have been developed to facilitate accurate and timely reporting of data concerning the impact of Louisiana's State-Funded Compensatory/Remedial Program. These strategies include: (1) using existing statewide communication networks; (2) employing the Basic Skills Test (BST) as the major…

Discussed and compared are mathematics competencies as prescribed in grades 1-6 for seven state and local school districts utilizing the descriptive method characteristic of the Competency Based Education (CBE) movement. General comments on the historical background of the minimum competency trend and its distinguishing characteristics in various…

The Adult Reading Academy, a federally-funded service of the Phoenix Union High School District, serves native- and foreign-born adult students who are deficient in the basic skills of reading, writing, arithmetic, and oral communication. In 1980/81, the program served 476 students at 17 sites. Approximately 24 percent of the clients served were…

The Southwest Alabama Cooperative Literacy Project was a workplace literacy program involving the University of South Alabama and seven manufacturing plants in the LeMoyne Industrial Complex in southwestern Alabama. The project's primary objective was to increase job productivity by teaching both conventional and functional literacy skills in…

Connecticut's Adult Performance Program (CAPP), which was initiated in 1986, is a mix of policies, training, and technical assistance activities based on the following elements: specification of expected competency-based program outcomes; development of an assessment and instructional model to facilitate achievement of the program outcomes;…

In fall 1978, Sacramento City College initiated the Higher Education Learning Package (HELP) to promote the success and retention of students with basic skill deficiencies while mainstreaming them into regular courses. Students work with instructors and tutors in small groups and on a one-to-one basis. Using an integrative team teaching approach,…

Mercer County Community College (New Jersey) and six small businesses used federal grant money to develop a model program of workplace literacy that would assist 600 adult workers with inadequate basic skills in performing their jobs. In analyzing the overall skills of the work force, the literacy audit identified these basic skills/literacy…

This report summarizes issues facing New Zealand's modern adult literacy movement and places it in the context of the rapidly changing skill demands of the 21st century. Part I introduces political, economic, and social issues facing New Zealand. Chapter 1 provides an overview of the issues and structures that create the current climate. Part II…