Before using the National Teacher Examinations (NTE) for teacher certification, states are required to conduct a state-wide validity study. This paper describes approaches used in 35 studies for 18 states to establish (NTE) content validity through curriculum and job relatedness and to establish minimum performance standards. (BS)

Procedures are presented for state departments of education and the local educational agencies to share the responsibility of showing that a minimum competency test is a fair measure of what is taught. It is recommended that the state lead in technical assistance, provide models, and monitor and evaluate the entire process. (CM)

Nearly all high school students in the Choctaw School System (Mississippi), which operates without a curriculum or a comprehensive evaluation program, function below grade level. Minimum competency evaluation revealed that as many as 50 percent of those entering high school need remedial instruction. There are implications for educational change.…

Describes the work of the Speech Communication Association Task Force on Minimal Speaking and Listening Competencies for High School Graduates and provides recommended minimal speaking and listening competencies and implications for further curriculum development and research. (JMF)

This chapter describes a new conceptual model for measuring competencies of higher education graduates. The proposed instrument can become a valuable tool for higher education quality management, policy evaluation, and scientific research. (Contains 1 figure.)

This booklet discusses changes taking place in the four major processes involved in preparing and certifying teachers: national accreditation, state program approval, state certification, and teacher preparation. Some of the major issues affecting these processes, such as teacher competency testing and teaching internships, are discussed, and the…

The problem of setting standards has always been an issue in the educational community. This paper offers an outline of one state's procedure for setting a passing score for a competency-based test in mathematics. The Maryland Functional Mathematics Test (MFMT) becomes a graduation prerequisite for the graduating class of 1987. The procedures used…

The Writing Skills Committee of the New Jersey Department of Education determined that the Eleventh-Grade High School Proficiency Test (HSPT) writing test should be based on contemporary discourse theory that is process oriented and is firmly rooted in real world application of students' skill and knowledge as writers. The committee identified two…

The public views teacher evaluation as a major problem in the school system today. State legislatures, aware of the concern, want to mandate more effective evaluation. Common methods for evaluating teachers have been ineffective, such as measurement tests of teacher characteristics, student achievement test scores, and rating of teachers'…

Statewide minimum competency testing programs have emphasized basic skills in reading, mathematics, and writing. However, continuing concerns are expressed in national reports about the level of achievement, particularly in mathematics and science, and increased testing has been suggested as a means of encouraging curriculum change and evaluating…

The Chancellor of the New York City Board of Education was required to set minimum standards of performance and establish the accountability plan for all schools in the city's decentralized school system. The system includes 32 community school districts. A 29-member commission, which held periodic one-day meetings, developed the standards for the…

A teacher certification testing program was mandated by the 1980 Oklahoma Legislature in HB 1706. The bill calls for a general upgrading of the teaching profession through more stringent teacher preparation programs, uniformity of training, and a concomitant improvement of salaries to reflect the healthy economy of Oklahoma. A central focus of the…

The purpose of this paper is to present a case study of the context and process by which the Board adopted a policy, came to question that policy, and ultimately rescinded that policy, while maintaining legitimacy within its environment. In 1977, the Board of Directors of a large urban school district adopted a policy establishing successful…

The Basic Skills Testing program in Louisiana was implemented due to a legislative mandate for minimum competency testing. The program began in grade two, adding a grade each year through grade twelve. Basic Skills Tests are being phased in to replace State Assessment. State Assessment will continue in the areas of science, social studies, and…

Presented is a collection of reports on the status of competency-based mathematical education in the schools of 25 countries, and is the culmination of five years' work by the International Study Group on Minimal Competencies in Mathematics. Most reports summarize the trends and prevailing opinions about curricular implications of emphasis on…