Many states are experimenting with mechanisms for making college more affordable while maintaining quality and access. This report examines promising or innovative state programs to improve college affordability and credential attainment. Many of these approaches show innovative thinking and bear watching to see if they result in meaningful…

Focusing on state-mandated minimum competency testing programs, this annotated bibliography cites 200 items selected from more than 700. The Resource Catalog is intended for state education policy makers and therefore includes resource and study guides; legislative and board action; conference speeches, reports and proceedings; curriculum guides,…

A New York State task force determined that the education system in the state must be changed to prepare youth for the high-performance workplaces of the future. According to the task force, the state must establish globally competitive standards for what youth must know and be able to do as they enter the workplace or postsecondary education.…

This "blueprint" was developed to provide educators in Florida with a unified vision of where career education is heading. It is designed to address the increasing gap between emerging job requirements and the ability of Florida's work force to meet them. It was developed to prepare students for the world of work, a competitive global…

To determine the status of humanities education in American public schools, the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) conducted a survey of State Education Agencies (SEAs) in 1982. Data gained through a questionnaire sent to each SEA concerned humanities policies in the areas of organizational structure, general educational goals,…

The Governor's Council on Vocational Education prepared recommendations on vocational education's role in dropout prevention in Kentucky. Eight recommendations were developed as follows: (1) education decision-makers should take appropriate steps to revitalize and implement the concepts of a practical arts exploration program at the seventh- to…

This statewide revised Standard Course of Study, mandated by North Carolina's Elementary and Secondary School Reform Act of 1984, provides a detailed, integrated curriculum plan for all subjects at all grade levels. An initial section provides an introduction ("Notes") to the users of the "North Carolina Competency-Based…

This report presents findings of a nationwide study of student transitions from secondary to postsecondary education that is based on a survey of state higher education agencies and site visits to six states. The report finds a growing role for state higher education agencies in setting minimum college admissions requirements, coexistence of…

The back-to-basics movement and public demands for educational quality guarantees have led state education agencies (SEA's) to examine their options in four areas: definition of the basics, relevant curricular and programming alternatives, alternatives for evaluating achievement of basics-related goals, and methods of reporting achievements to the…

A variety of viewpoints were represented in this symposium for chief state school officials and senior staff of state departments of education. Russell Vlaanderen, Education Commission of the States, opened with a national overview: "The Policy Implications of Minimum Competency Testing: The Case of the Standardized Student." Attorney…