This paper provides information about New Mexico High School Competency Examination (NMHSCE), a minimum competency test. Its purpose is to meet a state mandate. It will be replaced by the Grade 11 Standards Based Assessment/High School Graduation Assessment (SBA/HSGA) in spring 2011 as the state's high school exit exam. The NMHSCE was administered…

This paper focuses on the teacher competency testing movement that is sweeping the nation. The first section provides an overview of teacher testing programs nationally, including the rationale for such programs, the types of tests used across the states, concerns about current testing programs, test validity studies, and fiscal and legal issues.…

The Texas legislation requiring testing of teachers holding "life" credentials is reviewed. The reactions of teachers groups to the Texas Examination of Current Administrators and Teachers (TECAT) and to the Governor's support for testing are described. (Author/MT)

The article reviews minimum competency requirements for handicapped students in the 39 states which have set minimum standards indicating a range from total exclusion of handicapped students from the testing program to required participation with no modifications. It is suggested that separate minimum standards be defined for special education…

A brief report on status of state mandates for teacher testing considers: (1) the number of states that have or are establishing testing programs; (2) the type of competency testing being conducted by each state; (3) whether currently employed teachers should be tested; (4) whether such tests discriminate against minority group members; and (5)…

During the 1986-87 school year, 4,299 handicapped students were given New Jersey's competency test which measures academic achievement in reading, mathematics, and writing. Twelve percent of these students passed the test. There was a variance across student classifications; the math subtest was particularly difficult for the students. (Author/DB)

A discussion is presented of the component in the Educator Improvement Act (mandated by the state of South Carolina) which provides an evaluation procedure for prospective teachers beginning in the freshman year in college and ending during the first year of teaching. A description of the basic skills Educational Entrance Examination includes…

Designed for policymakers and programs planners involved with the topic of teacher testing, this publication outlines issues involved in teacher testing and describes state-level activities in this area. A question-and-answer section provides general information on major types of teacher tests, prevalence of teacher tests, problems addressed by…

Information on competency testing for teacher certification is reprinted exactly from four pages (70-71, 129-130) of a National Center for Education Statistics Publication (volume I of "The Condition of Education: Elementary and Secondary Education 1988," edited by J. D. Stern.) As of the fall of 1987, 45 states had enacted competency testing…

Teacher education testing requirements for all of the states are displayed on a chart. Categories of information include: date of data revision, the name of the test, passing rates, and passing scores for both admission to teacher education programs and teacher certification. (JD)

This article describes Virginia's Beginning Teacher Assistance Program (BTAP), implemented to test teacher competence, and to help teachers acquire missing competencies. The effect of BTAP and similar programs on the teaching profession is discussed. Included is an appendix which lists the BTAP competencies and indicators. (IAH)

This paper examines the major issues to be faced and the decisions to be made in the development and administration of basic competency tests used for the certification of teachers. The focus is on the use of competency tests as criteria in determining the initial certification of teachers, as differentiated from the ongoing observation and…

The second round of litigation in the case of Debra P. v. Turlington has required the Federal courts to consider the question whether the Florida statute which requires public high school graduates to demonstrate the "ability to successfully apply basic skills to every day life situations" as measured by the State Student Assessment…

The impact of "exit-gate" and the new "entrance-gate" tests on Black prospective teachers and historically Black colleges is described. Three strategies for dealing with teacher testing without compromising teacher competency are outlined. A broader vision of competence is needed to counterbalance the narrow view provided by…

This report from the State Superintendent of Public Instruction responds to a directive from the Washington State Legislature to provide information on the progress of the development and field testing of minimum procedural standards and model evaluation programs for teachers. It contains a draft of the proposed minimum procedural standards for…