A research project was conducted in Washington State in 1992 to develop an assessment system that could be used by adult basic education (ABE) and English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) programs to satisfy accountability requirements and to provide assessment information useful for classroom instruction. In this preliminary work, 35 ABE/ESL programs…

The efforts of college and university student affairs professionals, who aim to improve student life, integrate new student groups, and attract and retain students, are becoming critical to institutions attempting to maintain enrollments of qualified students, ensure academic achievement, place graduates, and develop supportive alumni. Changes in…

An 11-point plan was developed by the Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System (CASAS) in cooperation with the California Department of Education for the 1990-91 year. Major program objectives were designed to enhance agency involvement, identify underlying causes of student attrition, examine test administration and security practices,…

Issues related to the Education Reform Bill of Ohio are discussed. Administration of norm-referenced achievement tests in reading, mathematics, language, and related school-ability tests is required for grades 4, 6, and 8 (effective by 1990) and grade 10 (effective by 1991). The reform bill specifies rewards and sanctions in addition to statewide…

This is the report of a study that examined the relationship between the New York City school system and the external (social and political) environment of which the school system is a part. The study had two purposes: first, to determine the impact that external constituents of the school system have on internal policymaking and implementation;…

Nine papers were presented at the 1986 Educational Testing Service Invitational Conference on outcomes assessment in higher education. The Award for Distinguished Service to Measurement was awarded to Frederic Kuder for development of the Kuder-Richardson 20 and KR-21 formulas for test reliability, the Kuder Preference Record, and the Kuder…

A description is provided of the process proposed for the comprehensive institutional assessment of Genesee Community College (GCC) and the methods used to develop the assessment proposal. The proposal calls for the assessment to envelop the entire campus, tracking students from the preregistration phase, as they pass through their courses to the…

This report proposes a model accountability system for the California community colleges to comply with the directives of Assembly Bill 1725 (AB 1725). The purpose of the accountability system is to provide colleges and districts, the board of governors, and the California legislature with information that will allow for the continued improvement…

A summary and analysis is provided of California Assembly Bill (AB) 1725, a reform bill that provides new direction and support for the state's community colleges. The analysis addresses each of the eight sections of the bill: (1) mission, highlighting reforms related to mission statements, transfer core curriculum, remedial limits, articulation…

An overview of an international conference held on the campus of the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) to take stock of the development and use of educational quality indicator systems at the local, state, national, and international levels is provided. Major implications and findings of the education summit held at the University of…

Issues related to the authority structures governing local public school districts are presented in this volume, which includes a paper and three discussant comments. The thesis of the main paper is that school organization affects the outcomes of public schools. The relationship between features of the formal authority structure to central reform…

The paper focuses on three critical programming issues in providing support services to higher education students with learning disabilities. The first issue concerns the garnering of administrative support for students with learning disabilities. Administrative support cannot be effectively achieved until college administrators determine where…

The result of a comprehensive review by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges of the minimum standards entitling community college districts to receive state aid, this report provides background information, summarizes proposed changes, and offers the complete text of a revised set of regulations. Section I presents…

Rules concerning unprofessional conduct are offered by the New York State Board of Regents. Attention is directed to: general provisions for all professions, health professions, and design professions (e.g., architecture and engineering), as well as special provisions for: the medical profession, the dentistry and dental hygiene professions, the…

The state of bachelor's level study and recommendations for improvement are addressed, along with policy issues concerning college missions, based on the work of the Project on Redefining the Meaning and Purpose of Baccalaureate Degrees. Attention is directed to: the decline and devaluation of the undergraduate degree, faculty responsibility,…