The proceedings of the Inservice Education Program seminar for statewide academic planning and program review officers in state boards of education are summarized. Areas discussed during the sessions and summarized here include: (1) student aid vs. institutional aid; (2) current issues in state planning; (3) differentiation of function; (4) the…

The text of the report of the National Commission for Excellence in Teacher Education is presented. The commission was guided by two charges: to become informed about teacher education and to recommend to policymakers and college and university leaders ways to improve teacher education. (MLW)

"Alabama Education News" is published monthly except for June, July, and December by the Alabama Department of Education. This publication, authorized by Section 16-2-4 of the "Code of Alabama," as recompiled in 1975, is a public service of the Alabama Department of Education designed to inform citizens and educators about…

Educators from the teacher, administrator, and school-board associations of the states of Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Oregon joined with the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory to highlight the achievements of the public schools in preparing children and youth for a successful and fulfilling life, and to note the significant…

Since the approval of the No Child Left Behind Act, there have been new ways of evaluating student success. Evaluation is based on progress or improvement, not only on achievement. This report describes a study that examined student progress, or sustained improvement, in California over a 2-year period (1999-2000). In analyzing sustained…

This paper examines issues related to alternative teacher certification, discussing teacher certification in Texas and noting that most researchers agree that both traditional and alternative routes to teacher preparation need improvement. For over a decade, alternative certification has become increasingly available in Texas. This paper…

The author comments on personal encounters with the educational deficiencies of secondary and higher education. However, he senses a change of direction, e.g., higher standards are being established for a high school diploma, colleges are again requiring students to take certain courses. Next area ripe for change is graduate education. (RM)

Educational reform by Miami-Dade Community College is discussed by its president, Robert H. McCabe. In an action that is considered unusual for two-year schools, it has tightened controls on its curriculum, faculty, and students. A commitment to achieving higher levels of literacy is advocated. (MLW)

The quality of education in the United States has been seriously damaged by two factors: equality of opportunity equated with the results of education (unless all students perform equally well, the system is judged to be unjust); and societal preoccupation with self-satisfaction and rejection of personal responsibility. (MLW)

Most administrators approach program reduction as a budget issue; in reality, it is a governance and planning issue of major importance for the 1980s. Steps in a planning process for program discontinuance (including pitfalls) are described, based on a national study supported by the Exxon Foundation. (Author/LB)

The University of Wisconsin-Parkside's comprehensive collegiate skills program is described from proposal to implementation. Junior year students must demonstrate competence in: writing, reading, mathematics, research paper writing, and library skills. (MLW)

Reprints 11 standards for assessing quality in service learning projects from the Alliance for Service-Learning in Education Reform. Each standard provides a rationale and relevant examples. Standards include youth being involved in the planning, program requiring preparation and reflection, and project making a meaningful contribution to the…

Praises the efforts to develop a national standards for civics and government. However, discovers serious shortcomings in the current product. Claims that the current standards blur important distinctions and contain a number of factual errors. Recommends reducing the conceptual outlines and increasing illustrative cases and texts. (MJP)

Identifies the doctoral psychology programs producing the most mentors (identified as dissertation supervisors). Assesses the quality of these programs as rated in past research. Discovers a strong correlation between those programs assigning mentors and those rated highest in quality. (MJP)

With motivational insight, educational understanding, and independence, a maverick educator transformed an East Los Angeles high school previously on a disaster course. In the process, one of his most gifted and imaginative teachers, Jaime Escalante, became a media celebrity. (Author/MSE)