The Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) is the standard-setting body for establishing generally accepted accounting principles for school systems and all state and local governments. A brief summary of a statement prepared by GASB's staff outlines the proposed changes in school accounting and financial reporting. (MLF)

This report describes an effort to enhance the effectiveness of teacher educators. The endeavor, which is in its early stages, is a work-in-progress initiated by the Association of Teacher Educators (ATE). The goals of the initiative are to reach consensus on standards for teacher educators; develop rigorous, fair, and feasible assessments related…

In this first issue of Forum Focus, we summarize emerging research and practical evidence that quality matters and push forward to ask the questions: Is quality measurable? Is it malleable? We bring a youth-centered lens to our review, looking for examples that define quality from the perspective of what young people need to heal, grow and…

The cognitive components standard setting method, recently introduced by D. McGinty and J. Neel (1996), asks judges to specify minimum levels of performance not for the test items, but for smaller portions of items, the component skills and concepts required to answer each item correctly. Items are decomposed into these components before judges…

Many school districts are developing assessments that incorporate both selected response and constructed response formats. Scores on these assessments can be used for a variety of purposes ranging from subject remediation to promotion decisions. These policy decisions are informed by recommendations for Minimum Passing Scores (MPSs) from standard…

Reliability, validity, and standards-setting procedure for a criterion-referenced test (Test of Metric Skills) were examined for use in science curricula. Results indicate a number of factors influencing test reliability/validity and that science teachers need to be aware of these factors to enhance accuracy of their judgments. (Author/JN)

Setting motor performance standards has long been an important process to physical educators. However, theoretical advances appropriate for standard-setting have been made only in the last decade. Issues in standard setting are discussed, procedures are reviewed, and gender differences in motor performance are considered. (Author/JN)

Whether cutting score equivalents (CSEs) based on examinee performance are the same as CSEs based on expert judgment was examined using data from 3,262 examinees taking an internal medicine certification examination. CSEs produced by 40 physicians/experts were closer to the criteria than were standards derived from examinee performance. (SLD)

The role of the local community in setting moral standards for the public schools and professional standards for Canadian teachers is studied by reviewing some court cases. It is suggested that public school teachers may best protect their human rights by asserting professional status through collective bargaining and peer review. (SLD)

Stresses key areas of political conflict in the certification of a national curricular content and explores trade-offs a national-standards approval group must make. The article analyzes left-wing support for explicit opportunity-to-learn standards and right-wing objections to educational outcomes and focuses on initial approval stages, not…

The extent to which the Joint Committee "Standards" for evaluation might be used to develop culturally relevant standards for use in other countries and how they might be modified for use in cross-cultural settings were explored using Malta and India as examples. Substantial modifications are probably necessary. (SLD)

Asserts that efforts to achieve educational reform can have significant personal and professional effects on participants in the process. Presents "Ten Verities" as a perspective on the tremendous investment that participation in the reform process requires. Concludes that, the end product of world class geography standards will justify…

Test results and employer complaints indicate that the average high school graduate hasn't learned enough and that he brings that deficit with him to college. As remedy, Chester Finn argues for uniform educational standards and measurements in a transparent reporting system that gives families the information necessary to scrutinize and accept or…

This paper draws on research that has recently been conducted in Australia on the possibility of formulating professional standards for teachers of English in primary and secondary schools. English teachers around the country have played a vital role in the project, writing stories in an effort to capture "accomplished" English teaching,…

This article focuses on teachers' dual frustrations caused by contradictory requirements in Korean education reform policies since 1995. It summarizes recent education policy reforms in Korea and links them to the intensification of teachers' work through the extension of its range, and the possibility that teachers' work will be deskilled by…