A 3-year evaluation is being undertaken to assess quality assurance processes for nursing and midwifery education in England. Issues that must be resolved are (1) the balance between qualitative and quantitative judgments of achievement of standards and (2) the tension between competency-based education and the development of professional…

A study investigated the extent to which scores in Kentucky's statewide alternate assessment program for 60 students with severe disabilities correlated with measures of program quality and overall school effectiveness. Results indicated a significant relationship between overall program quality and scores, but not between scores and…

The articles in this section discuss aspects of assessment: (1) "Assessment: What Is It? Why Do We Need It? How Do We Use It?" (Roy Berko and Linda Webster); (2) "Public Speaking Assessment for College Students" (William W. Neher and Deborah Grew); and (3) "Student Progress? Prove It!" (Donna Surges Tatum). (SLD)

Examining moral values and normative criteria in education, it is argued that evaluators are not just social scientists with expertise about scientific methods but also make value judgments about programs, policies, and interventions. Evaluators must consider the ethical assumptions from which they operate in conducting evaluations. (SLD)

To determine the extent to which tension between learning knowledge/skills and processes/understanding influenced practice and assessment in design and technology departments, this study analyzed surveys of department heads, teacher tutor reports, and student self-reflective reports. Suggests that a disjunction between policy and practice results…

Describes a process for moving toward high levels of mathematics and science learning for all students. Presents the collaborative inquiry process and a framework for integrating it into systemic mathematics and science education reform. Proposes steps for developing a learning-centered systemic action plan. (ASK)

Addresses issues in the inclusion of students with disabilities in educational assessments. Distinguishes between accountability and assessment and describes a framework of educational accountability with domains, indicators, and sources of information. Also considered are alternative assessments and accommodations and public reporting on the…

Describes an algorithm for planning college-level mathematics lessons based on the identification and achievement of student learning objectives. Discusses the ways in which this algorithm can help novice instructors to include opportunities for active learning in their lessons. (Contains 50 references.) (Author/ASK)

Examines the role of exceptional schools in France that have produced famous personages such as Charles de Gaulle and Jean-Paul Sartre. The schools reviewed include L'Ecole Nationale d'Administration, L'Ecole Polytechnique, L'Ecole Normale Superieure, L'Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales, Saint-Cyr, and L'Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris.…

Asserts that tougher standards and better assessments are necessary for educational improvement. Once the standards have been defined, educators must hold students accountable for their achievement. High standards and high accountability must be based on the premise that all children are capable of learning. (SLD)

Describes a two-year study to determine the relationship between initial evaluations of student placement essays and progress in a developmental writing course sequence at a midsize university. Finds a positive relationship and presents the methodology as a model for assessment, citing its adaptability, minimal costs, and improved program…

Faculty, staff, and students at the University of Auburn combined efforts to help students become more successful both during and after their college experience. The Student Success Center was created to address personal, academic, and career needs through an integrated service delivery model offering services, programs, and support at key moments…

Uses data from national assessment programs to compare Scottish pupils' mathematics performance at primary stages P4 and P7 with French students' performance at stages CE2 and 6e. Discusses methodological issues, including comparability of samples, selection of common items, and curriculum coverage of items. Reports some findings on relative…

Discusses the interplay between assessment policies in Uruguay and state-society relations. Shows how national student evaluation has come to symbolize an agreed-on mechanism of social accountability by which the central government upholds its responsibility for educational provision as it intervenes on behalf of impoverished communities.…

In 655 schools in 27 states, the Literacy Collaborative aims to improve elementary students' literacy achievement. A trained literacy coordinator trains other teachers and provides in-class coaching. Systematic collection of data on every child and data utilization by all program participants support continuous school improvement and create a…