This paper makes recommendations for developing the next generation of state accountability systems for postsecondary vocational education (PVE). It focuses on the need to improve the core indicators for PVE; reduce the burden and improve the value of Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Amendments of 1998 (Perkins III)…

The Government of Alberta is committed to enhancing the well-being and educational opportunities of Aboriginal peoples in the province. As part of Ministry commitment to the Government of Alberta's Aboriginal Policy Initiative (API), a key priority is to improve First Nations, Inuit and Metis learner success. In the spring of 1999, a review of the…

To expand and improve after-school opportunities for children, New Jersey After 3 (NJ After 3) has sought to develop and implement a comprehensive system of high-quality after-school programs throughout the state. Specifically, NJ After 3 seeks to increase the number of after-school programs in New Jersey that provide a safe environment for…

This report provides information on the program for students with limited English proficiency (LEP) in school year 2000-2001 as well as historical information. Specifically, this report discusses the following topics: (1) staffing patterns and instruction to implement the program; (2) enrollment patterns of students who have participated in the…

This congressional hearing examines vocational education, adult education, and job training initiatives in Vermont and the role of these programs in developing work force development legislation. Testimony includes statements from a U.S. Senator and individuals representing the following: Vermont Department of Employment and Training; Vermont…

This assessment packet contains all materials to assess a student's competency in resource management. The purpose of the tests at the state level is to demonstrate achievement in knowledge associated with work and family life competencies. Used by the classroom teacher, the results can indicate a program's strengths and weaknesses and serve as a…

This analysis of the findings of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in 1996 for North Carolina documents the state's substantial and sustained gains in educational achievement since 1990. The education reforms of the 1980s are beginning to pay off in North Carolina. It has moved from its historic position at the bottom of all…

These discussions of performance-based student assessment provide a record of a decade-long exploration of unsettled issues in assessment. The first section provides the elements of a basic rationale for performance-based assessment, while the second section contains accounts of efforts to develop new performance-based systems in one city and four…

Designed to guide and structure the needs assessment of Pennsylvania children with special health care needs, this document describes six specific steps in planning and conducting a needs assessment. The steps include: (1) stating the goals of the needs assessment, including fulfilling legislative mandates, identifying geographical areas that have…

This report describes and compares the inclusive assessment and accountability systems of Maryland and Kentucky, with a focus on components, scoring methods, reporting practices, data use, participation of students with disabilities, testing accommodations, and implementation considerations (including cost and training issues). Maryland and…

A survey ascertained whether Arizona seventh-grade students perceived themselves to have participated in and benefited from career awareness, exploration, and counseling activities. In total, 2,349 seventh-grade students participated in the survey administered in spring 1997 after one full year of school-to-work (STW) regional funding. Students…

This state plan for the education of gifted/talented students in Texas first offers a rationale and goal and then defines the state and district roles for educating gifted students. The plan provides guidelines for use by local district personnel in the development of gifted programs that meet state requirements. These guidelines include: (1)…

In recent years there have been substantial changes in the way in which education is structured, financed, and managed in Australia. The move towards more self-management in schools, is now operating in the Australian school systems. Similar changes have been occurring in other countries, spurred on, by the governments' desire to save money. In…

The new government of the state of Victoria (Australia) announced its "Schools of the Future" program in 1993. The emphasis on the role of the community in education and self-management by schools seemed promising for the quality of education in the state, but after 3 years of implementation, the reality does not match the rhetoric of…

In all states of Australia, the move toward decentralization of education seems to have gained momentum. This is particularly true in Victoria, where the government's "Schools of the Future" program declared the importance of local community control of schools. Recent research, however, indicates that after 3 years, the reality of this…