This paper is a combination of two separate essays, both of which examine changes in standards for student and teacher performance in various states over the past two years. Part 1 examines changes in standards for graduation from high school and the introduction or expansion of statewide programs of testing. Changes in the overall units for…

In July 1984, the Texas Legislature mandated the criterion-referenced tests designed to assess minimum basic competencies in mathematics, reading, and writing. During the 1985-86 school year, the Texas Education Agency instituted the Texas Educational Assessment of Minimum Skills (TEAMS) program to measure student competencies at grades 1, 3, 5,…

Presented is a detailed plan of action directed toward the Nation's achieving world educational leadership (as measured by student achievement, participation levels, and other non-subjective criteria) in mathematics, science, and technology in elementary/secondary schools by the year 1995. Sweeping and drastic changes are proposed in the breadth…

This manual contains the general information on Regents Examinations, Regents Competency tests, occupational education proficiency examinations, and second language proficiency examinations, as well as the regulations and procedures for ordering, administering, and rating these examinations. The Regents Examinations are achievement tests based on…

Two years of language study is a requirement in most colleges and universities for many degree programs and, at the high school level, an expectation for college-bound students. However, some very capable students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) have difficulty learning a second language. Recent research has identified characteristics of…

California's 1980 proficiency law, which is the topic of this report, mandated that each school district was to adopt or construct tests and establish standards for assessing proficiency in reading, writing, and computation on tasks that were necessary to success in school and in life. In order to graduate from high school, a student must have…

This paper analyzes college entrance examinations and graduation rates as indicators of the quality of education and of school systems in the South. The following implications and conclusions are discussed: (1) Scholastic Aptitude Tests (SATS) were designed to measure outcomes for students intending to continue on to higher education and thus are…

Since the 1983 publication of "A Nation at Risk," most states have responded to public demand for educational improvement by enacting legislation increasing the number of units in academic subjects required for high school graduation. Required courses now consume three-quarters of the high school years, countering the former trend to large…

Evidence of decline in academic performance and academic standards in schools and colleges, and examples of reform are considered, based on work of a Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) task force. Declining scores on college entrance examinations and other standardized tests imply that students have been learning less in high school.…

In 1980-81 field tests were undertaken in North Carolina to develop a procedure for making writing competency a minimum requirement for graduation from high school. Measuring writing skills with adequate validity and reliability requires planning for data collection and varied scoring methods, personnel training, dissemination of assessment…

This update is designed to provide information on the conversion in the Atlanta public school system from a quarter to a semester plan. The major tasks, the semester schedule, and the recommended grading system are all outlined. A section on kindergarten provides material on proposed curriculum and support materials, the suggested weekly block of…

Many states have mandated two possibly far-reaching legislative reforms within secondary vocational education: minimum competency requirements and increased course requirements for graduation. Most legislated educational reforms include only selected aspects of competency-based systems, primarily the specification of and testing for minimum…

This guide to legislation and state board of education policy on minimum competency testing is designed to explain the legal basis for minimum competency testing mandates in the various states. Specifically, it explores: the differences between board mandates and state legislation; details of the requirements--subject areas, grade promotion and…

Motivated migrant students can accumulate some credits necessary for high school graduation via the Portable Assisted Study Sequence (PASS) Program of correspondence courses. Migrant students enrolled in any high school district in California may also enroll in a PASS course to make up credit deficiencies in reading, English, speech, general math,…

Reasons favoring the maintenance of foreign language requirements in public schools and colleges are developed in this essay in terms of international understanding and practical application of the second language. Five goals and accomplishments of current programs are examined in an attempt to determine whether recent linguistic methods produce…