The New Mexico Portfolio Writing Assessment for grades 4 and 6 (optional for grade 8) is to be conducted in the 1991-92 school year, with a call for "best piece" in April of 1992. All students in New Mexico in grades 4 and 6 will participate. This manual provides instruction for procedures to be followed in the school year. Guidelines…

Three documents related to the passage of Public Law 102-62 are presented. The first document is the House of Representatives Report 102-104, a report of the Committee on Education and Labor regarding the establishment of a National Council on Education Standards and Testing. The Council would be established to determine whether standards for…

In the summer of 1989, Summer Home Learning Packets in mathematics and language arts were distributed to seventh and eighth graders at Calverton Middle School (Maryland). The packets contained review exercises for students to complete with the help of their parents. In the first of the two studies reported in this document, "Reactions of…

How students perceive standardized tests and routine classroom tests on subject matter units was studied by surveying 61 fifth-grade and 65 eighth-grade students in public schools in Michigan. It was hypothesized that older students would more often distinguish between the types of test and would be more cynical and less motivated than would…

This Education for Self Responsibility (ESR) curriculum guide is designed as part of an extensive effort to curb the problem of drug use among school-age youth. Three major objectives provide the framework and focus for an instructional emphasis on an alcohol and other drug use prevention program. These objectives are: understanding the…

This guide provides descriptions of the social studies courses that are offered in Florida schools for students in grades six through eight. Specifically, the guide presents broad guidelines for course content and outcomes and is intended to assist educators in developing specific instructional plans for given subject areas. The guide is designed…

Since 1988, Vermont has been developing a state assessment program, the centerpiece of which is the student portfolio and "best pieces" drawn from it. The state's use of portfolio results will be limited to reporting aggregates, but within schools, teachers and principals may use the portfolios as they choose. The assessment program,…

In 1991-92 Vermont initiated a statewide portfolio assessment program in mathematics and writing in grades 4 and 8. An evaluation of the program found mixed results--although the portfolio scores were unreliable for individual or school-level reporting and teachers had concerns about implementation, the assessment had marked positive effects on…

A total of 2,118 8th-grade, 12th-grade, and community college students (66% were Mexican American) from 11 Texas school districts and 3 community colleges were surveyed to determine the extent of family influence over their occupational and career choices. In addition, 581 parents completed mailed questionnaires and 100 more responded to a…

This curriculum guide the first of a series of six, contains teacher and student materials for a unit on heat energy prepared as part of a seventh- and eighth-grade agricultural science curriculum that is integrated with science instruction. The guide contains the state goals and sample learning objectives for each goal for students in grades 8-10…

The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) launched the "Maryland and Your World" project in 1983. The purpose of this project is to assist local school systems in implementing guidelines established by MSDE's curricular framework for the social studies. Goal four of this framework focuses on the ideas, institutions, and processes…

This document is a collection of lessons for teaching about the Ghost Dance Movement originated by Wovoka (Jack Wilson) during the Indian removal after the Civil War. The lesson unit represents a dramatic moment in history from which students can examine the deeper meanings of the selected landmark event and explore its wider context in the…

The National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB) is responsible for improving the form and use of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The NAGB is beginning to define achievement levels to state clearly what students should know and be able to do at key grades in school. This report creates a policy framework, definitions, and…

A project assessed current counseling activities, services, and programs in grades 7 and 8 that address vocational interest and aptitude assessment for handicapped and disadvantaged students. Staff developed a description of vocational assessment instruments available to public schools and a guide for interpreting and using vocational assessment…

This curriculum guide outlines Prince George's County (MD) schools' seventh and eighth grade program of exploratory foreign language. Topics presented include: administrative and instructional policy statements; course overview; notes on concepts, skills, and content; timetables for fall and spring semester courses; rationale and goals; student…