Describes the many causes of pressure to change large-scale assessment in the United States and suggests that the largest factor facilitating change will be technological, especially the use of the Internet. The Internet will help revolutionize the business and substance of large-scale assessment. (SLD)

Community schools arose in Texas in opposition to a post-Civil War centralized school system. Emphasis on parental control, minimal regulation, and funding similar to vouchers echo today's issues about school choice. Their history provides lessons for current school reform efforts. (SK)

Describes how delivering on the promises of broad-based merit scholarships has been neither easy nor cheap. Problems with such programs, which offer scholarship money to in-state students who meet modest academic requirements, include skyrocketing costs, intense popularity with the public which makes change difficult, legal challenges, and many…

Discusses the plaintiffs' arguments, the state's responses, and the specific findings in the context of major themes of "GI Forum v. Texas Education Agency," which found that the Texas graduation test was valid and reliable and met applicable professional standards, including motive and opportunity to learn. (SLD)

Draws seven conclusions for professionals who administer state assessment programs from the "GI Forum V. Texas Education Agency" ruling. These conclusions are grouped into observations about test development and observations about test use. Discusses some implications for test use in other states. (SLD)

Discusses the implications of the "GI Forum v. Texas Education Agency" (2000) decision supporting the use of the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills for other state assessment programs. Notes that the legal success of the state test in Texas was not due merely to good fortune, but to the test's adherence to legally defensible principles.…

Studied the impact of experience scoring the Maryland School Performance Assessment tasks on teachers' instructional and classroom assessment practice. Interview data, questionnaires, classroom observation, and classroom artifacts from approximately 5 teacher-scorers demonstrated that teachers' appropriation of performance-based instruction may be…

Introduces the description of a performance-based pay plan developed and implemented in Brevard County, Florida, in response to recent Florida legislation. The voluntary plan includes options for teachers and an approval process that uses input from School Advisory Councils in each building. (SLD)

Describes the pay for performance program of the Brevard County, Florida, public schools, focusing on the issues involved in negotiating new pay plans, the development of Brevard county's compensation plan, and future directions for negotiating teacher compensation. The Brevard County plan contains options for teachers (professional development…

Describes the growth of early childhood and after-school program administrator credentialing initiatives. Delineates benefits of an administrator credentialing system for program quality. Describes the assistance available through Wheelock College Institute for Leadership and Career Initiatives. Includes table describing three national…

Argues for more responsible education accountability system. Builds on earlier work and presents alternative concepts that are more responsive to the purposes and functions of public schooling in a democratic society. Proposes ideas about good teaching and learning and the educational needs of students and their families, particularly in…

Highlights program strategies to support families as they adjust to changes in welfare policy. Core strategies noted include using early childhood programs as a resource, adapting early childhood programs to better meet family needs, promoting access to high-quality child care, linking early childhood programs and welfare agencies, and creating…

Texas began alternative teacher certification in 1985, attracting diverse populations into teaching. Although criterion-referenced tests demonstrate program success, there should be additional ways to determine whether individuals are qualified to practice the art of teaching. (SK)

Describes a program used by two New Jersey educators to help teachers understand and use their state's standards and test specifications to improve classroom instruction and raise achievement. Suggests it is important for teachers to understand the entirety of each subject and where state test content fits within each area so that they can align…

This article describes the experiences of the program coordinator of a new two-year preservation trades program at Harford Community College in Bel Air, Maryland. The two-year associate in applied sciences degree offered at Harford Community College (HCC) is a Technical Professional Studies program in Building Preservation and Restoration (BPR).…