Arthur Levine's (2007) recent report on the academic preparation of education doctoral students, Educating Researchers, http://www.edschools.org/EducatingResearchers/educating_researchers.pdf is highly critical of both AERA and the scholarly training of education doctoral students. One criticism Levine (2007) offers is his view that educational…

After a period of top-down control under the mayor, the New York City system is freeing schools to run their own affairs--and holding them accountable for results. This fall, for the first time, each of the district's 1,456 public schools gained unprecedented control over budgetary and instructional decisions that previously resided with the…

This paper examines how the personal qualifications required to practice art therapy can be integrated into the American Art Therapy Association Education Standards. A review of current and historical documents demonstrates the importance of personal qualifications of art therapists. The author proposes a link between education standards and…

This paper explores the ways in which music educators have allowed others outside of music education to name who and how they are in the world. Often comfortable with voicing advocacy and purpose from the status of second class citizen, music educators are complicit in the very processes of reproduction they wish to challenge. Seeking to address…

This handbook, one of five local handbooks developed to support specialized implementation of the National Career Development Guidelines, presents guidelines for developing comprehensive programs for adults who are served by community and business organizations. Part I describes the need for guidelines and standards in career development, defines…

Two studies of medical certification examinations were undertaken to assess standard setting using Angoff's Method. Results indicate that (1) specialization within broad content areas does not affect an expert's estimates of the performance of the borderline group; and (2) performance data should be provided during the standard-setting process.…

This article describes standards setting in an evaluation of the structure of 15 of the nation's university hospitals who participated in the Teaching Hospital General Medicine Group Practice Program. Standards were (1) selected from many sources; (2) formed in a participatory, competing forum for discussion; and (3) set in advance of information…

This paper describes a practical method for identifying and communicating expectations of student performance in the classroom. The method has been used at McREL for clients who require a systematic approach to setting performance expectations and communicating these to their constituents. This document in organized in the following sections: (1)…

This exploratory study extends the work done by B. Plake and others (2000) and R. Guille and others (2001) by investigating whether a negligible occasion facet would still be found when ratings for licensure and certification examinations were completed in isolation. A set of items was sent to a standard-setting committee to be reviewed at home,…

This paper reports the results of using several alternative methods of setting cut scores. The methods used were: (1) a variation of the Angoff method (1971); (2) a variation of the borderline group method; and (3) an advanced impact method (G. Dillon, 1996). The results discussed are from studies undertaken to set the cut scores for fourth grade…

Developed a method to estimate the cutscore precisions for empirical standard-setting methods by using resampling. Illustrated the method with two actual datasets consisting of 86 Dutch medical residents and 155 Canadian medical students taking objective structured clinical examinations. Results show the applicability of the method. (SLD)

Reviews the learning outcomes assessment literature and suggests contextual factors responsible for increased interest in outcomes assessment. Reports on a study of several hundred sociologists regarding usage and impact of various outcomes assessment strategies. Examines implications of outcome assessments for power redistribution. (Author/KDR)

Discusses reasons for the high interest in educational standards. Notes that most of the standard-setting efforts fall into one of three groups. Concludes that educators need to sort through the rhetoric to determine whether standards are indeed powerful tools for guiding educational decisions or whether they are unnecessary provocations. (RS)

Examines the evolution of the U.S. standards process and its basis in U.S. political culture; evaluates the system in the light of the many structural changes taking place in the world economy; and suggests that a new balance must be struck between public and private sector roles. (23 references) (LAE)

Presents a procedure for standard setting that involves the cluster analysis of test takers to discover examinee groups that are useful for envisioning marginally competent performance or defining borderline or contrasting groups. Illustrates use of the procedure with a statewide mathematics test, and concludes that cluster analysis is useful in…