Minimum competency testing has been mandated in one form or another by local school boards or by legislatures in 36 states. Court consideration of such testing has focused on the intent and the consequences of the testing. Where racial segregation in education has existed, courts have argued that even several years after desegregation, testing can…

Results of a survey of 180 community and junior colleges indicate that community college language programs continue to be largely connected with the transfer curriculum, and that their enrollments have declined in part as a consequence of the widespread erosion of language requirements among the B.A.-granting institutions to which community…

The development and implementation of the Dallas Independent School District's Basic Objectives Assessment Test (BOAT) are described. Beginning in 1979, this minimum competency test was administered system-wide to all students in grades 8-12 (except for those enrolled as special education students), and beginning in 1983 it will be used in…

A study of the relation between the reading competencies for high school graduation and the reading demands of auto mechanics began with determining job reading tasks of auto mechanics. Fifty auto mechanics, the majority of them bilinguals, were interviewed. From this data about the kinds of information mechanics get from reading and with copies…

The seven papers in this collection, which were presented at a workshop for library media supervisors, focus on competency-based education and the role of media centers in implementing Maryland's Project Basic. Papers included are: "Project Basic Instructional Guides: A Resource for Teachers," by Margaret Trader; "Scope and Sequence Charts for the…

The purpose of AB 3408 is 1) to create public dialogue and systematic accountability at the local level regarding the skills high school graduates should possess, and 2) to encourage schools to focus attention on students who have difficulty mastering reading, writing, or mathematics skills. The legislation requires all school districts…

This guide is intended for use by Idaho educators in implementing courses to meet that state's new composition requirements for high school students. Following a brief overview of the new requirements, the major section of the guide presents information about class size, teacher qualifications, and materials needed for the courses. The role of…

This publication focuses on California Assembly Bill 3408, legislation mandating secondary schools to develop performance standards and performance tests for students. The paper analyzes progress made in implementing the legislation in California and outlines some of the barriers to successful implementation. The author explains several testing…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the appropriateness and effectiveness of current high school mathematics curricula for students in technical and vocational education programs. Students in 21 Wisconsin high schools were surveyed; administrators and chairmen of mathematics departments in these schools were also interviewed. Results…

This publication examines the growing trend toward early high school graduation, describes some of the characteristics and attitudes of early graduates, and discusses possible administrative responses to the increasing popularity of early graduation. Much of the discussion is based on the results of a school survey taken during the 1974-75 school…

The Southwest Minnesota State College Teacher Education Program for 1971-72 is described in this handbook for students in elementary education. The curriculum is organized into competency packages (ComPacs) which are classified according to five steps, including specifying objectives; selecting, preparing, and using appropriate materials,…

This directory provides information on specific colleges and universities with a black heritage, including the academic and monetary requirements, financial aid, student activities, military programs, academic programs, a brief faculty profile, and campus characteristics. Institutions are listed in alphabetical order with cross reference tables…

The Oregon competency-based graduation requirements--survival competencies--are motivated not so much by public demands for accountability in the normal sense of improved "efficiency" as by the desire to bring about a greater range of alternative learning settings and experiences. There are two sets of research and development questions…

The revised Oregon high school graduation requirements, adopted in 1972, are an attempt to respond to attacks on the schools and to clarify the purposes of schooling. The uniqueness of the Oregon approach lies in the mechanism for bringing about change in the schools--a radically revised set of requirements for high school graduation. The focus of…

Increases in competency testing as a basis for student promotion and graduation are described. Examines the complexities and implementation of minimal competency testing and argues for consideration of unresolved issues: (1) definition of "minimal competency," (2) determination of appropriate measures, and (3) use of minimal competency concept in…