Since the passage of No Child Left Behind, large-scale assessments have come to play a central role in federal and state education accountability systems. Teachers and parents have expressed a number of concerns about their state testing programs, such as too much time devoted to testing and the high-stakes use of testing for teacher evaluation.…

The focus article "Road Maps for Learning: A Guide to the Navigation of Learning Progressions" by Black, Wilson, and Yao (this issue) is a veritable tour-de-force, covering a great deal of education ground while spanning the heights from models of the interplay among curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment to interpretations of student…

The Comprehensive Plan for the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) in New York State contains both long-range goals and short-term actions for the next 20 years with a series of specific actions proposed for the current 3-year (1985-87) period. The first chapter provides program background with sections on OVR'S mission, recent trends in…

The state of Rhode Island has recently embarked in a new state accountability system for public elementary and secondary education. An overview of the system is provided, coupled with an understanding of accountability systems as technologies of social control. The ramifications of such technologies are discussed along with the costs, benefits,…

The governor of South Carolina provides information about that state's Education Improvement Act of l984 and explains how it brought about educational reform. (FL)

The focus on raising standards reflects a national trend in which New York State is considered a leader. The new requirements adopted by the State Board of Regents have generally been supported by business leaders and all major educational policy advocacy groups. There are positive signs that achievement is improving, but there is a performance…

Discusses how three states are implementing the Goals 2000: Educate America Act, focusing on Massachusetts' Common Core of Learning, Delaware's First Schools in the First State pilot curriculum project, and Oregon's Initial Mastery and Advanced Mastery certificates. Notes that one of the aims of Goals 2000 is to make states true laboratories of…

As states begin mandating induction-year programs as part of teacher preparation and certification, three issues have surfaced: the lack of consistency in definitions of mentoring among stakeholders, both between and within states; the need for the development of appropriate and effective models of mentoring; and the need for adequate funding to…

If the supply of day care is ever to keep pace with the rapidly rising demand, it is essential that there be a favorable climate for its growth. At present there is not, and the regulatory obstacle course laid out by state and local officials is in large part why. State barriers to the provision of day care involve licensing and registration and…

The steady growth of state testing programs and its implications for the measurement community are discussed in terms of testing purposes (monitoring, accountability, and curriculum advancement) and test development, administration, and reporting. It is important that the measurement community address crucial issues to maintain its substantial…

Claims the Australian Literacy Benchmarks for Year 3 and Year 5 set unrealistic standards, are educationally unworkable, and represent an unacceptably imprecise and confusing set of statements and criteria. Compares the Literacy Benchmarks with the New South Wales English Language and Literacy Assessment (ELLA). Claims the Benchmarks represent a…

To determine the extent to which states are able to assess their provision of services to typically underserved populations, this study interviewed 16 Part H (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) state coordinators. Major findings indicated: (1) six states identified their rural population as most underserved and six identified one or more…

This Texas plan to improve information and referral services in the area of developmental disabilities recommends an approach which focuses on providing improvements incrementally, spacing benefits over time, and periodically reassessing direction, alternatives, and costs/benefits. The plan stresses building a network which provides greater public…

The Executive Director of the New Jersey Education Association discusses some of the top priorities facing his organization in the coming years. These include educational quality, accountability and testing, tenure, academic standards, and urban schools. (SJL)

The role of the state government in higher education assessment is clearly expanding as both the state's interest and investment in higher education grows. Currently, patterns of state involvement vary widely--from indirect incentive programs to direct legislation or regulatory action. Institutional assessment and the resulting reform must be…