Evaluation is an important component of measuring educational effectiveness. The purpose of this survey is to analyze the attainment of "graduate standards," a school district's list of ten statements of adult roles, skills, and education all students need in order to be successful after high-school graduation. These standards encompass areas such…

This paper reports on a study conducted to assess number of credits completed nationally for a degree in Teaching English as a Second Language, what portion were required courses, and what courses were actually required. Data were gathered by a survey mailed to 159 institutions in November 1994; 94 responses were usable that covered 39 U.S.…

This paper describes a father's reflections on his daughter Charlie's failure to pass a state-mandated standardized test; reactions of both to the failure; reactions of both to emerging events; Charlie's next challenge and her looking to the future, and final thoughts and conclusions. The paper is a collaborative effort between father and daughter…

An arts education task force was set up in North Carolina to identify critical issues related to arts education and to make recommendations for improving the public school programs. Fourteen recommendations are documented including that: (1) the Department of Public Instruction, the State Board of Education and the North Carolina General Assembly…

A review of Oklahoma State higher education institutions' awarding of academic credit for physical education (PE) courses and the state funding of such courses evaluated current practice and policy and made recommendations for change. The review examined the use of such courses as they relate to graduation requirements, national standards for…

The honors program at Chandler High School (Arizona) which combines the International Baccalaureate (IB) and Advanced Placement (AP) programs is described in this brochure. Following a general overview of IB and AP programs, several benefits of this combined program are listed: (1) small classes with superior students; (2) the opportunity to earn…

Intended to help secondary school students prepare for the New York Board of Regents competency tests in writing, this manual will enable students to use writing for effective communication of their needs and enjoyment of the pleasure of permanent self-expression. The first portion of the manual provides several introductory lessons and writing…

This report summarizes the major findings of a study of 26 California high schools. The study, Paths through High School, was conducted to describe the characteristics of high school curricula in California, how they are determined and how they differ for various groups of students. Chapter 1 describes the state, district, and school levels of…

A national sample of public school districts was surveyed to determine high school graduation requirements existing in the 1981-82 and 1984-85 school years. Expectations for 1987-88 were also surveyed. The Office of Educational Research and Improvement's Center for Statistics conducted the survey through its Fast Response Survey System. School…

In an effort to determine how many West Virginia students were receiving specific instruction in the skills of speaking and listening, a survey of college introductory speech communication classes was devised. The survey, designed to determine whether separate courses or integrated skill instruction within English/language arts classes were being…

In 1972, the Oregon State Department of Education changed its standards relating to graduation requirements after a survey revealed concern that the high school diploma had lost its credibility. Parkrose School District developed a goal-based curriculum and measurement program to meet the new requirements. From the program's inception, District…

This volume contains two papers concerning appropriate accommodations that can be made in the areas of grading and granting credits and diplomas for mildly handicapped high school students. The first paper discusses grades for students with disabilities who are mainstreamed in general education classes. It presents seven guiding principles that…

The paper reviews policies of the state of Arkansas concerning high school graduation requirements and reports on a survey of individual school districts in Arkansas in regard to their policies concerning program modification, graduation requirements, and graduation documentation for secondary special education students. Data are presented for the…

This report describes the process used by Oakland Community College (OCC) to define general education and to identify courses to fulfill general education requirements in accordance with that definition. Following an overview of the curriculum development process, three recommendations are presented. The first defines general education as…

These five papers describe the methods, results, and implications of a multimethod approach to the establishment of standards for the three subject areas of the Alabama High School Graduation Examination (AHSGE). James E. McLean introduces the problems and methods involved by identifying three general approaches to scoring procedures found in the…