The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS) is a study that focuses on children's early school experiences beginning with kindergarten. The ECLS was developed by the National Center for Education Statistics. Approximately 23,000 children were selected as they entered kindergarten, and were followed as they moved through fifth grade. This paper…

This book is designed to help educators consider how assessment relates to instruction and recognize how assessment affects student learning. It intends to encourage teachers to establish a climate in which students can safely seek and use assessment information. A basic assumption is that learning occurs best in a positive setting, one that…

This report brings together European experience on the interpretation and implementation of ISO 9000 in education and training (ET) environments. Chapter 1 discusses the importance of quality concepts in ET and summarizes key concepts of total quality management (TQM) and its relevance for ET. Chapter 2 introduces the ISO 9000 standards. It…

This book presents a systematic and coherent exposition of the educational structure of Luxembourg, and also outlines the essential problems the system faces. The text opens with the social and political context of education in the country, which is followed by a description of the different types of secondary education. Some of the specific…

A discussion is provided of the importance of articulation between vocational training at the secondary and postsecondary levels in Quebec. In the first chapter, the Council of Colleges describes the characteristics of vocational training at the collegiate level, including information on student characteristics and types of training, differences…

The operating characteristics of 114 mathematics pretest items from the Praxis I: Computer Based Test were analyzed in terms of item attributes and test developers' judgments of item difficulty. Item operating characteristics were defined as the difficulty, discrimination, and asymptote parameters of a three parameter logistic item response theory…

This is an age of backlash, as illustrated by many developments in the field of education. Backlash against performance assessment is very evident, but it must be remembered that backlash has its uses. It forces advocates to rethink, reformulate, and restate why they put so much faith in the program under attack. Events have pushed advocates to…

This manual from Austin Community College (ACC) (Texas) is a guide for faculty and administrators developing assessment criteria for their students, classes, or programs. It defines the five stages of ACC's assessment process: (1) stating the purpose, wherein the unit or department states its function within the larger context of the college's…

While school reform has already dramatically altered the culture of education in Kentucky, the future holds daunting challenges. This chapter examines a few of the most difficult changes being implemented as a result of the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA), as well as conditions external to schools that markedly influence educational success.…

This journal issue, which is part of a series of wide-ranging debates on major educational topics in Australia, examines three major points connected to school resourcing. First is the shift of emphasis in the discourse on resources from inputs to outcomes. Second is the extent to which schools ought to be self-managed and the possible conflict…

This report discusses the outcomes of a June 11-12, 1999, forum that addressed alternative assessments and gray areas in large-scale assessments for students with disabilities. The forum included 161 representatives from 42 state departments of education, 3 large school districts, 1 territory, and the Department of Defense Dependent Schools. Five…

This report reviews the past five years of student class evaluations at Salt Lake Community College (SLCC). Included in the review are the Instructional Assessment System (IAS) student class evaluations, the results from the new, non-returning and graduating student surveys, and observations on the student comments in those surveys. The average…

The goal of this series of guides is to show Texas educators what components of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) curriculum are eligible for testing on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) and end-of-course tests. This booklet contains information for tests administered beginning in the 10th grade as graduation…

This report presents six core principles of inclusive assessment and accountability systems with a brief rationale and specific characteristics that reflect each principle. The principles are: (1) All students with disabilities are included in the assessment system; (2) Decisions about how students with disabilities participate in the assessment…

This document explores the changes the 21st century will impose on community colleges and discusses the need for colleges to alter their objectives. It offers five points that colleges should consider in redesigning their organization: (1) change must be mission-driven, containing the element of accountability; (2) the new process must be owned by…