Defining reverse discrimination as hiring or admissions decisions based on normally irrelevant criteria, this book develops principles of rights, compensation, and equal opportunity applicable to the reverse discrimination issue. The introduction defines the issue and discusses deductive and inductive methodology as applied to reverse…

One of seven sections of a report that examines the assessment of occupational competence, this chapter provides a review of how the courts have responded to assessment practices. The difference in the perspectives held by the users and originators of assessment procedures and those held by the courts is developed by examining key court cases…

Papers are presented that were prepared as part of a study group of the International Council for Educational Development on criteria and procedures for admission to higher education and the relationship between higher education and the law. In "Access to Higher Education and the Law," Larry G. Simon analyzes the role of law and especially the…

An analysis is presented of the "Bakke" decision and the several opinions of the Supreme Court Justices. The principal issue presented by the case is whether a higher education institution using a selective admission program may adjust that program by giving explicit preference to qualified members of identified racial or ethnic groups…

In 1991, Massachusetts passed an interdistrict choice law that gave parents the option of enrolling their child in any district they selected. Six years later, David Armor and Brett Peiser conducted a study to examine the social, racial, and financial impact of the choice program on participating districts, and to determine if the thesis behind…

As Texas' elite public colleges and universities experience enrollment declines, the state is requesting clarification of the legal decision in "Hopwood v. Texas," in which the court rejected affirmative action and mandated race-neutral admissions policies. The Texas attorney general disagrees with federal officials and critics on…

Explores the link between the established tradition of a nation's vocational training system and the specific pattern of state or government involvement in the process of skill formation. Maintains that the German government's participation in quality control and selective admission is limited and offset by other factors. (MJP)

Investigated whether reform in Israel's teacher education admission standards has attracted better students than in the past. Data on students who were freshmen before, during, and after the academization indicated that students who are accepted now have a higher entry level than in previous years, but they represent a similar social and…

This paper examines the controversies surrounding the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and its use in college admissions policies. An early section reviews the history and development of the test. Next the essay reviews a series of challenges to the SAT: many argue that the structure of the examination is biased against women and minorities. Others…

This selective bibliography of approximately 900 items spans works written over several decades, and focuses on all aspects of undergraduate college admissions in the United States. References are included on admission to community colleges, 4-year colleges, and universities. Citations are from the education literature and include books, book…

A study was conducted of the extent to which the factors of selectivity in freshman admissions, ethnic background, and gender affect the retention and graduation rates of university students. Longitudinal retention data collected from 28 institutions in the Big Eight, Big Ten, and the Southern University Group (SUG) for the first-time freshmen…

The University of Louisville (Kentucky) adopted a policy of using American College Test (ACT) scores and high school grades as admission criteria, while allowing students who did not qualify an opportunity to demonstrate their actual level of preparation through additional testing and an interview. This study of 508 minimum admission applicants…

This monograph examines preservice teacher education from the perspective of the sociologist. It emphasizes the need for furthering the cause of professionalism among teachers through the acquisition of knowledge, skills, attitudes, beliefs, and orientations of a profession, a process referred to as a socialization system. The publication offers a…

The state of Kentucky has recently raised its standards for persons who apply for admission to teacher education. The plan, mandated by the State Board of Education, involves a selection/retention process for candidates who apply for initial admission to the program and for candidates who progress through the program. A minimum level of…

Comprehensive or nonselective schools have been in existence in the United Kingdom for over 40 years, having gradually replaced the old selective system of grammar schools for able pupils and secondary modern schools for less able pupils. In spite of their growth in numbers, comprehensive schools have been subject to continual controversy, and…