The research evidence supporting current beliefs in testing is summarized, and critical qualities that good assessment should exemplify and the current state of the research knowledge on how to produce good assessment are reviewed. Research has demonstrated the difficulties of achieving meaningful improvement in schools and the shortcomings of…

The Kentucky Education Reform Act legislated by the 1990 General Assembly created a high-stakes school performance accountability system to monitor the progress of implementation. One major component of the accountability system is a schedule of consequences designed to reward those schools making sufficient progress in improving student…

The Educational Quality Indicators (EQI) initiative was a collaboration between Alberta Education (Alberta, Canada) and 12 school jurisdictions to develop and implement indicator systems to measure the success of the educational enterprise. Ten concurrent collaborative projects were conducted between 1989 and 1992 to develop indicator systems for…

The role of statewide testing programs and the direction Pennsylvania should take in statewide educational assessment are discussed. The major purposes proposed for statewide testing programs are: (1) informing state policy; (2) curriculum reform; and (3) accountability. The ultimate purpose of statewide testing programs is to improve student…

A bibliography of approximately 150 materials authored, coauthored, or edited by Howard R. Bowen from 1935 through 1982 on the economics of American higher education is presented. Specific topics include the following: the wide disparity among colleges in educational cost per student; costs colleges spend per student; adult learning, higher…

The effort to institute minimum competency testing (MCT) is nearly universal despite the need to debate its basic definitions, implications, and consequences beforehand. There are seven distinct reasons for the MCT movement: (1) legislative zeal; (2) unfavorable allegations by local and national press; (3) economic accountability; (4) the…

A desire for greater accountability in the basic skills areas in the Wichita (Kansas) Public Schools led the board of education to establish a 58-member task force to study the situation. This document comprises the final reports of subcommittees in six areas of investigation: reading, mathematics, social studies, written composition, vocational…

This study was designed to outline possible forms of guided self-assessment in adult language learning and to suggest steps that might be taken in order to further develop methods judged to be suitable for use within the European unit/credit scheme for foreign language learning by adults. The report includes a review of relevant literature and…

The Performance Funding Project of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission to improve the current appropriations formula in Tennessee is discussed. The major project objective is to explore the feasibility of allocating some portion of state funds on a performance criterion, as compared to allocating funds solely on an enrollment criterion. It…

Strategies regarding retrenchment in higher education are examined in three papers and commentaries. In "Basing Public Policy on Student Achievement: A New Agenda Item," Francis Keppel recommends that the federal government undertake a program of acquiring data on student achievement in certain areas of the college curriculum to provide…

Resource allocation processes suitable for use in not-for-profit institutions are discussed and a conceptual model for resource allocation in institutions of higher education is presented. The objectives of higher education include the personal development and education of students, not merely the certification of students by conferring degrees.…

Designed to serve as a handbook and guide, the comprehensive book addresses itself to educational evaluation for teachers and administrators of occupational education in public elementary/secondary/postsecondary programs and for administrators and personnel connected with private instructional programs in schools and industrial programs. However,…

General features of local and national programs for assessing achievements referencing the common instruction are discussed within a single mastery achievement testing framework. The envisioned programs differ only in informative detail. Most such differences are viewed as amenable to formalization and the basis for distinguishing between local…

In an attempt to explore alternatives to the use of standardized tests, the Maryland Alternative Accountability Pilot Project (MAAPP) was launched to allow each participating school to design and implement an accountability plan which would satisfy the requirements of the Maryland Educational Accountability Act. The MAAPP was evaluated using data…

Testing programs enacted by the state legislature are changing and improving Florida's educational system in five areas: (1) setting standards for students; (2) making schools more accountable; (3) creating growth through competiton; (4) evaluating educational programs; and (5) assuring the competency of educators. (BS)