A three-year Florida project to develop subject area certification examinations in foreign languages is reported. The project was carried out by teachers at each stage: research, writing, validation, pilot-testing, editing, and scoring. The teacher-developed certification test development project is seen as a model for other states. (four…

The article compares the trends in special education in Oklahoma to that of the nation at large especially in the areas of numbers of students with learning disabilities, mainstreaming, least restrictive environment, community integration, transition, and early intervention. (DB)

Describes the events that led to legislation in New Jersey authorizing the establishment of a statewide multitype library network. The discussion covers the two levels of service provided by the network (statewide and regional), specific services available at the regional level, state funding of network services, public response, and plans for…

Briefly reviews the concept of multitype library networking and past attempts at large scale library cooperation, and describes the events that led to the establishment of the California Library Networking Task Force. The three stages anticipated in network development--services, structure, and funding and transition--are outlined, and the current…

Describes the teacher-developed California Assessment Program (CAP) writing measure, designed to support California's reform curriculum and based on matrix sampling techniques. This program will be supplemented by literature and mathematics assessments. The greatest challenge is designing an assessment to match the state's new history and social…

Includes four articles that provide the following: (1) a list of state associations connected with school library media programs with their national affiliations; (2) a review of the activities of 13 state associations; (3) a review of state agency activities in 6 states; (4) a directory of state agencies that consult with school library media…

A survey of 69 teachers and 13 principals in a Missouri school district focused on state linkage of 2 reform programs, a teacher career ladder and teacher performance evaluations. Teachers tolerated the evaluations, criticized the career ladder, and saw the linkage as contradicting both programs' intentions. Principals' attitudes were mixed. (MDM)

Discusses the role of libraries and productivity, one of the three main themes that will be addressed at the 1991 White House Conference on Library and Information Services. Statewide coordinated efforts to serve business and government clientele are emphasized, and statewide databases in Colorado, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania are described.…

Describes a study that designed and tested an interlibrary loan (ILL) measurement tool to be used by all types and sizes of libraries in Illinois. Topics discussed include data collection processes, use of the information for resource sharing, and a continuing education program to help librarians use the ILL forms. Sample forms are appended.…

A major challenge facing state policymakers who are demanding a high level of accountability in education is to design an accountability mechanism to track educational reform. The structure and uses of eight exemplary approaches to accountability are examined, resulting in a set of design characteristics for state accountability mechanisms. (TJH)

Describes a program designed to induce small public libraries in Vermont to move beyond the minimum standards of service. Highlights include long-range planning; peer review by librarians and trustees from libraries that have completed the program; the role of town meetings; role setting for the library; and mission statements. (LRW)

Focuses on programs that address the needs of at-risk high school students and graduates through remedial and supplemental courses at community and technical colleges, citing models in Connecticut, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. Discusses difficulties in funding. In the absence of reform, community colleges will continue in this role. (DM)

Examines nationally collected data on the placement rates of students with disabilities across the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Results indicate that some states have made significant progress toward serving students with disabilities in less restrictive settings, whereas others have made very little progress. (CR)

Draws attention to some of the unexamined assumptions on which W. Bowen and D. Bok base their analysis and considers some of the unintended, and often undesired, consequences of racial preferences in college admissions. (SLD)

Discusses UtahLINK, the most widely connected state online education system in the United States, and SiteFIre, a server-resident software package that speeds up Web access and stores Web-site data directly in user-designated folders. Describes the instructional possibilities and benefits of using UtahLINK and SiteFire. (AEF)