THERE ARE SEVERAL NOTEWORTHY DEVELOPMENTS AND SOME UNSOLVED PROBLEMS IN FOREIGN- AND SECOND-LANGUAGE LEARNING. INTENSIFIED INTEREST IN INCREASING NUMBERS OF SPANISH-SPEAKING INHABITANTS IN THE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST IS THE MOST VISIBLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREA OF SECOND-LANGUAGE LEARNING. IN FOREIGN-LANGUAGE LEARNING, WHERE THE EMPHASIS IS ON…

THE PURPOSE OF THIS PILOT PROJECT WAS TO DEVELOP AND VALIDATE TESTS TO ASSESS STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IN TWELFTH GRADE VOCATIONAL PRINTING PROGRAMS. THE OHIO PRINTING ACHIEVEMENT TEST AND A NEW TEST DEVELOPED BY THE PROJECT, THE OHIO PRINTING PERFORMANCE TEST, WERE ADMINISTERED TO A SAMPLE OF STUDENTS WHO WERE NEARING COMPLETION OF THE 4-YEAR…

Two bills concerning national reading programs were the subjects of a hearing held in Washington, D. C. on November 13, 1975, by the Subcommittee on Elementary, Secondary, and Vocational Education of the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives. H. R. 9048 is a bill to provide federal assistance for the distribution of…

National Assessment is a plan for a systematic, census-like survey of knowledges, skills, understandings, and attitudes designed to sample four age levels in ten different subject areas. It is an information-gathering program designed to provide both the educational community and the lay public with information about some of the direct outcomes of…

Noting that the Federal adult education program, Adult Performance Level Program (APL), only affects 1% of its target population, the author examines the program and concludes with seven major observations: (1) Increased attention should be given to the admonition, "Users of the instrument should have a general knowledge of the principles of…

Argues that new resources are needed to help teachers prepare students for the new General Certificate in Secondary Education (GCSE) examination. Compares previous examinations with new examinations to illustrate the problem. Presents textbooks, workbooks, computer programs, and other curriculum materials to demonstrate the gap between resources…

This report draws on an in-depth analysis of previously unpublished data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) to gauge progress in mathematics toward the goal set following the Education Summit in Charlottesville, VA in September, 1989. The goal of the summit was to have students demonstrate knowledge in challenging subject…

The description of achievement levels is important to the process of reporting student performance on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). A process was designed to develop achievement level descriptions (ALDs) for writing and civics. To begin, focus groups were conducted in each of the four NAEP regions for both writing and…

This paper presents preliminary findings from a large-scale study of ability grouping in English secondary schools. Forty-five secondary schools representing three levels of grouping took part in the research. Within these schools, data have been collected from a cohort of Year 9 pupils, aged 13-14 years. All these pupils took tests in English,…

Data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 1997 Arts Assessment, which assessed eighth-grade students only, indicate that public and private schools in the United States are far more likely to offer extensive instruction in music and the visual arts than in either dance or theater. Includes 1 table and web addresses for…

This paper synthesizes information from the March 2000 report, "Increasing the Participation of Special Needs Students in NAEP" (National Assessment of Educational Progress). Background information includes the development of the NAEP program since 1969 and the 1996 development of criteria to guide schools in deciding on the…

The author responds to alarm over declining national test scores by outlining possible improvements for educational practice and policy. (LH)

Explores the current educational reform movement through its first and second waves. Progress to date is reviewed, and issues for future concern are discussed, including (1) outcomes-based education; (2) national testing; (3) the curriculum; (4) parental choice; and (5) urban schools. (SLD)

National curriculum assessment in England and Wales is explored, focusing on its troubled implementation. The work of the Task Group on Assessment and Testing and teacher resistance to the mandated testing are discussed. Experiences in England and Wales provide insight into what can be expected in a national assessment system. (SLD)

Illustrates the importance of studying educational policy in the making with instances of multicultural history-social studies curriculum policymaking in California and New York in the context of movements for national standards and assessments and possibly a national curriculum. Attempts by neo-nativists to influence policymaking are discussed.…