The development of a universitywide general education requirement for undergraduates at the University of California at Davis is outlined, and the lessons learned in the process are discussed. (MSE)

The Florida Court decision reaffirms a state's right to impose a diploma sanction when competency tests are valid. Testing specialists now have a precedent for demonstrating curricular and instructional validity. Competency testing programs are a useful method for implementing instructional improvements. (DWH)

Examines state high school graduation requirements from the perspectives of academic effectiveness and educational equity. Predicts that minimum competency testing, which is now widespread, will gradually be replaced by further increases in academic credit requirements. (KH)

This is the fourth biennial survey on the state of economic and personal finance education in the fifty states conducted by the National Council on Economic Education (NCEE). NCEE conducts these surveys to gauge how the state standards, their implementation, and state testing change from year to year. Since the last survey, published April 2003,…

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which the institution of content standards-driven curriculum in secondary English language arts and mathematics has led to student success on the California High School Exit Exam. The study tested the hypothesis that the increased focus on the alignment of English language arts and…

This paper presents a snapshot of world history education to illuminate the challenges that the National Assessment Governing Board faces in creating a National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) world history framework. Using state standards documents, statutes concerning high school graduation, results from the NAEP transcript studies,…

Institutional researchers and others at East Carolina University have been concerned that requiring students to complete a survey, the institutional evaluation form, will have a negative effect on the ratings that students give the university. The responses to electronic forms of this survey completed by seniors and by sophomores are grouped with…

The Indiana State Board of Education requires all students, including students with learning disabilities, to successfully pass the graduation examination: Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress Plus. Students with learning disabilities who cannot pass the examination receive a Certificate of Completion upon graduation. As a result,…

This digest provides a brief overview of American Sign Language (ASL) and discusses its study as a foreign language in U.S. schools and institutions of higher education. The following questions are addressed: (1) Is ASL a language?; (2) If ASL is used in the United States, how can it be considered a "foreign" language; (3) Are ASL users…

The New York State School Report Card is an important part of the state's efforts to raise learning standards for all students. This guide provides an overview of the changes for the year 2000, answers to frequently asked questions, and descriptions of the state's testing program and other performance measures. This document focuses on questions…

This bulletin has been used extensively since it was published in State legislative campaigns for physical education. The following topics are discussed: (1) Purpose and scope of State laws for physical education; (2) Tabular summary of State laws; (3) Principles governing State legislation for physical education; (4) Text of State physical…

Describes the physics courses offered in 137 British institutions with basic requirements, course structures, advanced research fields, training activities, enrollment trends, and addresses for further information included in each entry. (CC)

Rather than have students in high school serve out their senior year, after they had completed all but a few credits for graduation, Midland College established a program, which enabled students to be admitted during their senior year. (RK)