Degree Name

Education Specialist (EdS)

Semester of Degree Completion

1980

Thesis Director

David E. Bartz

Abstract

In Westville, Illinois, Minimal Competency Testing (MCT) began in the spring of 1979, after the writer of this paper and a colleague attended a meeting in Peoria, Illinois. This two day workshop focused on the Peoria MCT program and provided the initial impetus for Westville's developing program.

Westville's preliminary MCT work preceded our initial inservice day in August of 1979. Our MCT work in Westville concentrated totally on grades 8 and 12. At this initial meeting of all district staff members, we asked all present to submit suggested skill statements. A special survey instrument was used for this purpose. Next we developed instrument number 2 designed to obtain skill statements for each of the three areas of language arts, math, and reading. Staff members were asked to prioritize skill statements in each area on a scale from 1 to 10. We used a rank-weighting system to then identify our top ten ranked skill statements.

With ten skill statements identified for each area, we began - with the leadership-assistance of a consultant - to write instructional objectives. The committee selected for this task (this committee also served as the test writing committee) had representatives from each of our four buildings. More secondary and junior high school teachers comprised this committee than did elementary teachers. Some three or four months were spent by this committee writing both instructional objectives and test items. Sessions were held one day each week after school for the duration of the time the committee met. In addition to the after school sessions, two full day sessions (substitute teachers brought in) were also held.

We have developed safeguards and sequence to our Westville MCT. Twelfth graders will be provided five times to pass the exam(s) with remediation between trial attempts. Eighth graders will be provided four times to pass the exam(s) with remediation between trial attempts.

If MCT is to work, local input must be a prime concern. We see our instructional objectives as only a beginning. Competency testing must not be an end in itself but instead as a means toward a better end. This competency test movement must be a springboard to develop instructional objectives - mastery type learning skills at all levels of our educational system.

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