Idaho's "Schools 2000 and Beyond--An Action Plan for Idaho" report (1992) identified 12 strategies for improving student performance in its elementary and secondary schools. One of them, a "transition to a performance-based system," suggests a process that first describes what students ought to learn and how they should be able…

A theory of portfolio assembly is presented and used to guide analysis of portfolios. Features of a portfolio evaluation approach known as the Cognitive Model for Assessing Portfolios (CMAP) are outlined. This model assumes that portfolios begin as relatively simple collections and gradually grow into complex, articulate stories of knowing. It is…

This report examines the origins, development, content, and implementation of state-level policies that were designed to establish or strengthen educational accountability and effectiveness in the 15 states that are members of the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB). It provides state-by-state profiles of legislation and policies, explaining…

This report examines the origins, development, content, and implementation of state-level policies that were designed to establish or strengthen educational accountability and effectiveness in the 15 states that are members of the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB). It provides tables outlining the context and content of such initiatives in…

This book provides a brief historical review of outcomes assessment in higher education and a general guide to designing, implementing, and evaluating assessment programs. Chapter 1 provides several definitions of commonly used terms and a review of the major actors and the political context. It identifies factors contributing to the recent push…

At the direction of the Floria State legislature, a study was done of outcomes assessment in Florida's higher education institutions. A committee formed to conduct the study met on nine occasions to review background information, receive public testimony, and discuss draft materials. The committee received information from public and private…

One of the most influential contemporary trends in educational evaluation in the United States is the move away from traditional testing methods toward "authentic assessments," which are designed to measure student performance of skills, abilities, and knowledge directly. While there is no consensus as to precisely what constitutes authentic…

The number of adolescents with AIDS and the number of young adults diagnosed with AIDS who were infected with HIV during adolescence continues to grow at alarming rates. This report evaluates a program that included staff development, mandated HIV/AIDS education for children in kindergarten through grade 12, and a peer leadership component that…

Most countries participating in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development are faced with rapid economic and socio-cultural changes and growing demands for education and training. Postsecondary education faces the challenge of providing high-quality education for all adults who need it in a cost-effective manner. One of the most…

This volume of proceedings of the Mid-South Educational Research Association's 23rd annual meeting contains abstracts of discussion sessions, display sessions, symposia, and training sessions. Over 320 abstracts and annotations are included, for sessions that cover the whole range of educational research. Assessment and measurement, educational…

This document found that the California school system has managed to improve its efficiency and performance over the last decade. However, the system is strained to capacity and will have a difficult time meeting upcoming challenges. It must be redesigned to shift the responsibility for improving student achievement to the local level and replace…

To satisfy federal requirements, the National Center for Education Statistics and the Division of Adult Education and Literacy planned a nationally representative household sample survey to assess the literacy skills of the adult population of the United States, to be conducted by the Educational Testing Service with the assistance of Westat, Inc.…

This paper presents an agenda for worldwide change in medical education to meet current and future requirements of society. The first of four sections offers the central arguments for change in medical education noting global patterns in the search for better use of resources for health care, describing a profound shift underway in the present…

Alexander Astin, a pioneer in assessment research, has argued persuasively for building national databases that would permit programs and institutions to share common data and thus compare themselves with peers (1987, 1991). Others have suggested that certain process and outcome data should be collected and shared by disciplinary associations and…

Assessment as conducted at Finger Lakes Community College (FLCC) in Canandaigua (New York) has taken various forms and has been conducted under various names. This publication offers an overview of assessment at the college from a philosophical and historical perspective. In both general and specific terms, the efforts of the college to meet the…