To address the needs and interests of primary stakeholders in a writing program, this article presents a model of "grassroots" assessment that involves instructors from all ranks as well as students in the development, facilitation, and interpretation of assessment results. The authors describe two assessment plans that measured student…

The purpose of this study is to describe the No Child Left Behind requirements for state standards and assessment systems. It examined official documents and peer review decision letters and included interviews with state assessment directors in the Central Region to highlight the challenges states face in developing and implementing approved…

The results of a follow-up study on local school district development and implementation of minimal competency testing (MCT) programs are reported. Critical questions regarding: (1) motivation and purposes; (2) selection of tests, procedures, and standards; and (3) impact, follow-up, and change are examined. The follow-up study investigated…

Eight provinces and two territories have built a Canadian General Educational Development (GED) testing program. The Canadian GED program has a number of major Canadian characteristics that have evolved due to a certain inner logic set in motion as the provinces and territories joined the GED program. In order, these provinces and territories have…

The State of Florida has, for several years, been committed to perfecting a workable system of accountability for the public schools. The Florida Statewide Assessment Program, begun in 1971, has been an important element in this accountability effort. The Program was designed to assess students' academic strengths and weaknesses, particularly in…

It is of crucial importance for the administrator to understand the complexity involved in managing a program of applied performance testing (APT). This paper attempts to clarify the potential and problems inherent in such an undertaking. Many citizens feel that public schools should be offering students the opportunities to acquire skills that…

This report discusses the outcomes of a survey that questioned states about their development of alternate assessments for students with disabilities who cannot participate, even with accommodations, in state or district-wide assessment programs. In the survey, states were asked about a variety of developmental features of their alternate…

Information regarding state minimum competency testing programs was requested from the 50 state departments of education in the United States in the spring of 1979. The following questions were asked: (1) Do you have a testing program? (2) If you do, what tests are being used? (3) Do you have a testing program in the planning stages? (4) Are there…

Administrative and technical problems were encountered in carrying out a minimum competency program for high school students in the Austin (Texas) Independent School District. The history of required minimum competency testing was reviewed briefly, and the process of clarifying and operationalizing the requirements was described within the Austin…

The lack of communication between educators and employers concerning the characteristics of a successful worker is explored. The need for a stronger emphasis on positive affective work competencies (work values, habits, and attitudes) is demonstrated. The failure of many educators to help their students develop proper work habits and attitudes is…

Approximately 20,000 eighth-and eleventh-grade students in Texas were tested on nine career education objectives; (1) career planning and decision making; (2) occupational information; (3) job acquisition and retention; (4) work attitudes; (5) human relations skills; (6) self evaluation; (7) personal responsibilities; (8) economic factors; and (9)…

The testing program of the Royal Oak (Michigan) School District was examined and evaluated under agreement of the Royal Oak Teachers Association and the Administration of the Royal Oak School District. A committee was formed of people knowledgeable of the program and/or specialists in evaluation and testing. This study represents two days of…

The Minneapolis Public School system was awarded an Elementary Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Title I grant. The purpose of these funds was the further development of insights, awareness, competence, and skill toward making living and learning effective for eligible students. Two programs are described: (1) inservice teacher training for the East,…

This study continues prior efforts that were reported by the same authors to examine teacher perceptions of teacher assessment programs for a fourth year, one year after the initial statewide implementation and subsequent suspension by the state legislature, of the teacher assessment and evaluation program in Louisiana. The state initiated,…

Plans for the development of The East African Examinations Council (EAEC) are outlined and the feasibility of long-range technical assistance from the U.S. Agency for International Development (AID) is discussed. The EAEC was established in 1967 by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. Its purpose is to conduct within East Africa the academic, technical,…