This report examines the state of education reform and policymaking over the 10 years following publication of "A Nation at Risk" in 1983. It compares and contrasts 1983 and 1993 across a variety of aspects: (1) the changing constellation of power and authority in school reform; (2) the changes in the capacity of the system to undertake…

Opportunity-to-learn (OTL) standards respond to concerns that the use of new assessments based on more rigorous academic standards is unfair if some students lack the opportunity to learn what is measured on the assessments in the schools they attend. During 1992-93, the National Governors' Association (NGA) launched an effort to consider how…

Providing information on assessment and institutional effectiveness programs in South Carolina, this two-part document describes the use of performance indicators (PI's) and presents state guidelines for institutional effectiveness. The first part discusses assessment in South Carolina, indicating that institutions are required to develop measure…

A small sample of the 60 indicators reported on in the full annual report "Condition of Education, 1993" are provided in this brief booklet, i.e., the following six tables: (1) enrollment rates in prekindergarten education; (2) international comparisons of reading literacy; (3) mathematics and science course-taking patterns; (4)…

The 1990 World Conference on Education for All, held in Jomtien, Thailand, resulted in the creation of the International Consultative Forum on Education for All. The "World Declaration on Education for All" adopted at the conference reaffirms the international community's commitment to ensure the right to education for all people.…

This paper lists practices recommended by the Council for Exceptional Children's Division for Early Childhood concerning the process of transition in early intervention and early childhood special education programs for infants and young children with special needs and their families. An introductory section defines transition, offers examples of…

This paper lists practices recommended by the Council for Exceptional Children's Division for Early Childhood concerning program evaluation in early intervention and early childhood special education programs for infants and young children with special needs and their families. An introductory section notes the guiding assumptions upon which the…

This publication presents the results of the Iowa State Adult Literacy Survey as referenced in the publication "Adult Literacy in Iowa: Results of the State Adult Literacy Survey" in graphic form. The State Adult Literacy Survey was a research project in which 12 states assessed the literacy skills of their adult populations. As a…

Findings from a multiphase project to develop a standard assessment battery for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are reported. In the first study, validity of a delayed-recall administration of the Benton Revised Visual Retention Test (Benton, 1974) was examined with 30 children individually given 3 administrations of the Benton…

Policy and program options for economic revitalization in the Southeast region of the United States through educational reform, with a focus on improving the learning experiences of middle-range high school students (30th to 70th percentile on standardized tests), are discussed. The study examined the ways in which state and local school districts…

During the 1989 Arkansas legislative session, an act was passed mandating the Arkansas Office of Accountability to publish annual reports on school performance. To help educators deal with issues related to systems of educational effectiveness indicators, a seminar for educational stakeholders to ask questions and offer comments about developing…

The costs and benefits of recent statewide and nationwide educational assessment programs are examined. The purpose of this paper is to present and substantiate some critical lessons and observations concerning: how the costs and benefits of large-scale assessments (LSAs) can be appraised, and the utility of this type of research to policymakers…

The nation's Governors resolved to lead restructuring efforts in their states as part of their commitment to achieve the national education goals by the year 2000. States are experimenting with a range of approaches to restructuring, depending on their resources, demographics, governance structures, and traditions. This report describes states'…

Issues in the definition and evaluation of "educational adequacy" as a forerunner to establishing a financially equitable Illinois school system are examined in this paper. A list of 30 potential indicators of educational adequacy was developed for three categories: outcomes, resources, and context. A mailed survey to determine which…

Concerns about using portfolios (collections of student work showing student effort, progress, or achievement in one or more areas) in large-scale assessments are addressed. The products in a portfolio allow the reviewer to make inferences about the process of student learning. Hence, a portfolio should include information about the activities…