After a brief discussion of the issues prompting concern with competency-based education (CBE) and an explanation of what it is and why it is so popular, this document goes on to discuss action Wisconsin and other states have taken to implement CBE. Very brief accounts are given of the minimal competency-type programs implemented in Sparta,…

Provided is a summary of early childhood services for handicapped children in Region Nine (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Vermont). An introductory chart lists information for each state on legislation, placement and evaluation, state guidelines, statistical data, departmental structure, programs, and parent…

This primer is designed to help charter school leaders in Ohio in coordinating testing and test data reporting procedures as required by state and federal guidelines. The report discusses the roles and responsibilities of charter schools under Ohio's new accountability system and what charter schools need to know to administer the tests of the…

The 1997 Utah Legislature mandated the development and administration of assessment of students' early reading and numeric skills so that these students' instructional needs might be better met. This document provides answers to several questions regarding Utah's pre-kindergarten and end-of-level kindergarten assessments. The questions include the…

This report describes the Body of Evidence approach taken in Wyoming to implement standards-based graduation. The Body of Evidence plan calls for more than a single test to justify issuing a high school diploma. Graduation requirement rules, known as Chapter 31 rules, establish the requirements for a diploma. The body of evidence is to be…

This report from the Washington State Department of Early Learning (DEL) describes some of the Department's work since it's creation in July 2006. Among other achievements, the Department has laid a strong foundation for raising the quality of child care and the state's preschool program, strengthened both the safety in and the reach of early…

New Jersey Education Association policy regarding testing is presented. The policy recognizes the need of teachers, students, parents, and other decision-makers for continuous and comprehensive evaluation and diagnosis of student progress, but opposes the use of tests for denying opportunities, allocating school funds, evaluating teachers or…

The Cherry Creek School district (Englewood, Colorado) is a growing district of 37,000 students in the Denver area. The 1988 Colorado State School Finance Act required district-set proficiencies (standards), and forced agreement on a set of values for student knowledge and skills. State-adopted standards added additional requirements for the…

This collection of papers presented at a 1996 conference on children's mental health focuses on program evaluation efforts within states and systems of care. Individual papers have the following titles and authors: (1) "An Overview of State Public Mental Health Programs for Children with a Serious Emotional Disturbance" (Pamela C. Roddy); (2) "A…

Provided are regulations for establishing the basic program parameters necessary to implement Article 3, Chapter 30 of Alaska Statutes requiring school districts and regional attendance areas to provide special services for exceptional children. Seven chapters cover the following areas (sample subareas are in parentheses): authority and…

The paper addresses the major ideas of Massachusetts' Chapter 776--the Bartley-Daly Act--which mandates the provision of educational services to handicapped children ages 3 to 21, particularly in relation to P.L. 94-142--the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. Sections address the following areas: legal responsibility for ensuring…

The reactions of local educators (teachers, principals, and central office personnel) to the initiation of statewide mandatory minimum competency tests and the effects of implementing these testing programs were studied. Variations among school districts within two states were considered. Items from a survey of individual educators were combined…

The report presents the state of South Carolina's fiscal year 1980 annual special education program plan amendment as mandated by Part B of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (P.L. 94-142). A right to education policy statement is provided, along with full opportunities, goals, and timelines. Other aspects covered include child…

Difficulties and rewards in using state assessment policy to benefit both students and the state are reviewed. The questions examined in this guide will help state policy makers know the questions they should ask about whether, what, and how well students are learning. Questions were developed from four seminars in 1989, 1990, and 1991 on…

Information on the California Academic Partnership Program (CAPP) is presented. Two major types of projects were funded: (1) demonstration projects to improve school quality and increase the number of students attending college; and (2) college-school cooperative assessment projects to evaluate the academic achievement of high school students in…