The duplex design is proposed for educational assessment within a state school system. For individual students, scaled proficiency measures that are suitable for guidance and certification at various levels of attainment are provided. For classrooms or larger units, the design can supply group level measures for evaluation and research. (SLD)

New Jersey and Washington have developed novel and different approaches to supporting faculty development by bringing faculty members, including many senior members, together to work on revitalizing the teaching experience. The program models are described, and the reasons they have been effective are explored. (Author/MSE)

Differences in the Texas Teacher Appraisal System scores of teacher subgroups over 2 years were examined for 2,366 teachers for scores on individual domains, sums of scores of the 1st 4 domains, and overall summary performance scores, as well as appraiser differences. Implications for teacher evaluation are discussed. (SLD)

Portfolios are the centerpiece of Vermont's statewide assessment program in mathematics. Portfolio scores in the first two years were not reliable enough to permit the reporting of student-level results, but increasing the number of readers or the number of portfolio pieces is not operationally feasible. (SLD)

Five articles in this special issue present the approaches to accountability found in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland, provinces that represent 85% of all Canadian elementary and secondary school students. The articles are then discussed by representatives of four national Canadian educational associations. (SLD)

The adequacy of linking statewide standardized test results to the National Assessment of Educational Progress by using equipercentile equating procedures was investigated using statewide mathematics data from four states. Results suggest that the linkings are not sufficiently trustworthy to make comparisons based on the tails of the distribution.…

Summarizes interviews with 60 Indiana superintendents and principals concerning the effects of statewide student achievement testing on the operation of schools or school systems. It describes side effects from the testing, noting they are so numerous and severe they may be worse than the problems they are supposed to cure. (SM)

The influence of state-mandated tests on thoughts and actions of three middle school or junior high school literature teachers was studied. Case studies indicated that the changes that tests caused in teacher thinking were a function of teachers' preferred approach to teaching literature and their place in curricular decision making. (SLD)

Defines "collegiate function,""articulation,""general education," and "liberal arts." Traces the historical development of the community college transfer function. Describes three types of state-sponsored articulation programs. Discusses university faculty perceptions of two-year institutions, and community college faculty perceptions of their own…

Current practices of most state vocational rehabilitation programs concerning the use and reporting of benefit-cost results are reviewed, and problematic issues are identified. Empirical data from Minnesota illustrate alternative ways of reporting evaluation results relating to efficiency. The recommended accounting framework provides relevant and…

Reviews the basic precepts of environmental education (EE) summarizing state-level efforts directed at its establishment. Discusses an EE plan with a 3-year scope and sequence for middle school students along with other suggestions for systematically incorporating EE into K-12 curriculum. Examines curricular frameworks, program characteristics,…

As prices for library materials rise and budgets shrink, cooperative collection development is becoming increasingly important. In light of the necessity for resource sharing, libraries are being forced to balance issues of access for local users vs. access to other libraries. OhioLINK is described as a model for cooperative collection…

The performance funding approach mandated by the Texas state legislature and devised by the higher education coordinating board to appropriate resources to colleges and universities is explained, and the responses of institutions to it are discussed. Focus is on problems encountered and lessons learned. (MSE)

Discusses the development of computing networks for elementary and secondary schools in Virginia and Texas. Highlights include establishing a statewide infrastructure; Internet access; distributed computing; instructional resources; the changing role of State Departments of Education; teacher training and support; and policy issues, including…

Annotates 100 items published in 1993 by state governments. Subject areas include health and health care, environment, conservation, business, economic issues, reevaluation of the educational system, government reorganization, crime and justice, families and child care, minority issues, and local history. (KRN)