The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLBA) requires all children to meet state standards of proficiency. Nowhere does this seem more absurd than the requirement for subgroups of students with disabilities to meet the same standard as children without disabilities. Educators, parents, and students alike protested that to be labeled as a child with an…

In January 1994, Washington's governor asked 28 representatives of business, labor, education, government, and the public (parents and students) to participate in the Governor's Council on School-to-Work Transition. The council spent 9 months examining the issue of school-to-work transition and formulating an action plan for establishing a…

This publication addresses Master's in Education programs and some commonly accepted standards of good practice particularly in light of the degree's increasing importance as a primary credential for those seeking to improve and upgrade their professional skills. After a brief review of the history of Master's degrees, a section on the degree…

This report evaluates the adequacy of the Department of Education's efforts to approve foreign medical schools for participation in the federal student loan program, and information needed by state medical boards to assess the quality of the education that foreign-trained physicians receive before granting them licenses. Findings indicate that the…

The Dwight D. Eisenhower Program for Mathematics and Science Education of the U.S. Department of Education provided a forum in which state and federal representatives could develop strategies to support the implementation of recently developed mathematics and science education standards. This conference report describes the presentations and…

The first annual National Education Goals Report is presented, focusing on measuring/monitoring the nation's/states' progress toward meeting the President's and governors' six national education goals. The most recent quality indicators available are presented, which are: results-oriented (focusing on whether or not the nation is achieving the…

Recent studies showing the need for improvements in the educational system in the United States have resulted in strengthening of academic requirements, upgrading of standards for promotion, and increased course loads in high schools throughout the country. Pennsylvania is no exception to this trend; the passage of Chapter 5 legislation, which…

The first section of this paper on educational standards considers the nature of the school curriculum as the shaper and delimiter of what is demanded of students. Debates over the desirability of a common or core curriculum for secondary schools as opposed to different programs are discussed. Demands for traditional academic disciplines and for…

Comments and recommendations to promote excellence in the Pennsylvania state system of higher education are offered for the consideration of policy shapers and decisionmakers. The following topics are addressed: setting priorities and determining system goals; building public confidence; clarifying roles and responsibilities of the state system;…

The results of a comprehensive investigation of all aspects of the U.S. Military Academy are presented in this report. Specific problems that were noted by the Study Group are: (1) a slackening of the pursuit of excellence; (2) a concomitant decline in the standards demanded of cadets at the academy; (3) an apparent lack of accepted common…

Historical information concerning Centres of Excellence in British Universities and the concept of excellence in relation to the roles and functions of the universities, the elements of excellence, and equality are considered. The term "centre of excellence" may be applied to an institution or department that has successfully specialized…

Guidelines for the selection of students to undergraduate social work education programs are suggested in light of the growing recognition of the baccalaureate degree as the first professional degree in social work. The criteria for the selection of students to these programs has become more significant since their accreditation by the Council on…

Analyzes the implications of the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business's accreditation standard specifying that undergraduate schools of business should concentrate their professional courses in the last two years of a four-year program for associate of applied business degree students wishing to transfer. (DMM)

Every Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) state has taken actions aimed at holding schools accountable for improved student achievement. Several SREB states are recognized nationally as leaders in implementing school-accountability systems that are getting results. SREB states are making progress in improving student achievement on indicators…

It is reasonable to argue that the members of a profession are the only ones who can directly address issues of accreditation. In the context of accreditation for international continuing education, it may be argued that professional organizations in continuing education cannot function as accrediting bodies except in the sense that they determine…