Designed to be a tool for curriculum and instructional development consistent with assessment of the state objectives in reading, this teaching and testing guide provides a summary of the skills that should be considered instructionally and how each objective is tested. Information is included on state objectives for reading teachers for grades 4,…

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…

A study was conducted to assess the impact of the Florida State Student Assessment Test (FSSAT) (Functional Literacy Test) on the enrollment in secondary-level vocational education courses. The 67 school districts in Florida were grouped according to population density into three levels of urbanization (low, medium, and high). Ten percent of the…

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…

A recent California Supreme Court ruling required San Diego Unified School District to implement a course of study in its minority isolated schools that would result in 50 percent of the students achieving at or above national norms on the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills. In response to the court order, the district initiated the Achievement…

The most important aspect of competency-based education is clearly linked to Bloom's mastery learning model: the establishment of behaviors which ought to be learned and adequately performed by public school students. The main components of competency based education are: (1) establishment of student standards; (2) student testing; and (3)…

Minimum competency testing, in which passing a uniform test is necessary (but not sufficient) for promotion or graduation, has been carried out in a number of colleges, including the City University of New York (CUNY). Competency programs usually have three basic components: placement testing, remedial instruction, and exit testing. Competency…

The Regents Competency Testing Program has been designed to assure that all students develop adequate skills in reading comprehension, writing, and mathematics before graduation from high school in New York. This bulletin provides information on two of the program's three basic elements that contribute to the accomplishment of this goal. First,…

Sample test questions are given for the Proficiency Testing Program adopted by the Idaho State Department of Education. Except for the writing skills test item, which requires a writing sample, all questions are objective, multiple choice items. Sample questions are given for reading, spelling, and mathematics. (MH)

This article describes procedures used at Pennsylvania State University to assess basic skills of applicants to the secondary school teacher education program. Tests given prior to student teaching assignments measure reading, writing, and speaking competencies. Test development and validation activities are explained. (PP)

The New Jersey State Department of Education is implementing a program to evaluate every school on its basic skills instruction, improvement plans, and legal compliance. Unsatisfactory schools face labeling and a comprehensive program review. This article outlines the state plan and the New Jersey Education Association's objections to it. (SJL)

Peoria's efforts with the development and implications of a Minimum Competency Testing (MCT) program are described, including the program model used, numbers of high school seniors and seventh graders who passed the pilot test sequence, and views on the advantages, disadvantages, and effectiveness of the MCT program. (Editor/SJL)

The Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP) assessment of basic skills for college was mandated by the Texas legislature in 1987. Students in Texas public colleges and universities that fail a section of the test--reading, writing, or mathematics--must attend remedial courses until they can pass all sections. They may not enter upper division courses…

A study was conducted at a Miami-Dade Community College (MDCC) to determine the relationship between students' level of basic skills at entry and their pass/fail performance on the College-Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST). Specifically, the study focused on students' Comparative Guidance and Placement Test (CGP) scores in reading, writing, and…

Starting with the ninth grade, Hawaiian students are given the opportunity to take the Hawaii State Test of Essential Competencies (HSTEC) to demonstrate mastery of 14 Essential Competencies. These competencies are grouped into those covering the Basic Skills area and those covering the Other Life Skills area (e.g., distinguishing fact from…