The accountability testing programs of many states have begun to make extensive use of constructed-response questions and to report test results in terms of percentages of students at various proficiency or performance levels. This paper describes the step-by-step procedures for two standard-setting methods recently used for the New Hampshire…

This study examined the attitudes of State Higher Education Finance Officers (SHEFOs) in regard to performance budgeting and performance funding of public higher education. A telephone survey of all 50 SHEFOs or alternate officers was conducted in June 1998, and the results were then compared to a similar survey conducted in April 1997. It was…

Educational refinement is defined as attempts to improve education through incremental improvements in the existing structure, while educational reform refers to change in the structure itself. A strong move is underway to reform education in the United States. It is argued that the development of assessments in support of educational reform…

This report examines the need for inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in community life and describes activities of service providers in Minnesota toward meeting that goal. Part 1 reviews issues of eligibility involved in the exclusion of individuals with developmental disabilities from services. The lives of people who are…

The National Association of Counties (NACo) conducted a mail survey of service delivery areas (SDAs) to disprove allegations that 40 percent of them had not been audited since the start of the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) in 1983. A questionnaire was developed and mailed to every third SDA on a list of all SDAs. Of 244 SDAs, 235 or 96…

This study describes the state of postsecondary assessment in Maryland, identifies cognitive or noncognitive areas assessed, investigates perceptions about the role of the institutional researcher in assessment activities, and analyzes information to guide the formation of an assessment consortium. The paper serves as a case study of the types of…

The document reviews the New York State Education Department's management of state aid for remedial education in the program for serving Pupils with Special Educational Needs (PSEN), the intent of which is to help low-achieving students overcome their disadvantage in learning. Four separate aspects are examined: (1) program intent, evolution, and…

The statewide implementation of the Georgia State Board of Education (GSBE) policy for high school graduation requirements was begun in September, 1980. It specifically stated that the GSBE would be responsible for assessing the basic skills, or learner skills, of students enrolled in public schools. It further stated that each local school system…

The symposium reported here was held to provide representatives from business, industry, labor, agriculture, government, and education an opportunity to examine the present and future role of vocational education in the state of Washington. First, this report presents the opening remarks regarding vocational education's role in a changing economy…

Intended for school district personnel, the series of 11 articles by professionals in the field is noted to be helpful in designing and developing programs and services for gifted and talented students. Entries are included with the following titles and authors: "Identifying Key Features in Programs for the Gifted" (J. Renzulli);…

This report is designed to provide consistent reliable indicators to allow analysis of educational trends in each state over time and to provide high quality data to provide comparable information from state to state. The accessible indicator formats are designed for increased uses by a variety of audiences. The report contains two-page profiles…

The topic of high-stakes testing (HST) is important because HST has direct and indirect effects on career-technical education (CTE) programs and timely because HST increasingly enters public discussion and has produced a large body of research and practice that generalizes to CTE. A review of HST has identified two persisting dilemmas: policy and…

This study used data from the Kentucky Instructional Results Information System (KIRIS) to evaluate the participation of students with disabilities in the state's comprehensive assessment system. Data on students in grades 4, 8, and 11 during the academic years 1994-1995 through 1996-1997 were collected and analyzed. Results are reported in terms…

This report discusses the 1997 amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act that require states to develop alternate assessments for students with disabilities who cannot participate in large-scale assessment programs. The report also profiles five state alternate assessment practices that have been developed or are emerging and…

This document is the Tennessee Board of Regents' (TBR's) second annual report card, which details the accomplishments of the state's public higher education institutions in four areas: student learning, academic programs, faculty productivity, and financial accountability. An overall status report is provided for the entire state system, followed…