This study had three main purposes. The first was to determine the perceptions of public school administrators toward desirability and toward feasibility of accountability items. The second was to determine the perceptions of public school teachers toward desirability and toward feasibility of accountability items. The third was to compare the perceptions of administrators with those of teachers and to indicate areas where they seemed to be in agreement or disagreement.

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Education in fulfilment or partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Education in the Department of Educational Psychology and Special Education at University of Zululand, South Africa, 2004. / The present investigation had two objectives. The first aim was to examine educators' attitudes towards the inclusion of mildly mentally retarded learners into mainstream education. The second aim was to determine the extent to which educators were influenced by factors such as gender, age, teaching experience, special education qualification and teaching phase qualification. A questionnaire was administrated to all race groups of educators teaching in mainstream primary schools, located in the Umlazi District. Fifty two and a half percent (52,5%) of the educators were found to have a positive attitude towards the inclusion of mildly mentally retarded learners in mainstream classes. Forty seven and a half percent (47.5%) displayed a negative attitude towards the inclusion of mildly mentally retarded learners in mainstream classes. Results also illustrated that the variables of gender, age and years of teaching experience have no influence on educators' attitude towards the inclusion of mildly mentally retarded learners in mainstream education. However, the results did indicate that there is a relationship between educators' qualification in special education and their attitude towards the inclusion of mildly mentally retarded learners in mainstream education. Fourteen percent (14%) had special education qualification and the majority of this group had positive attitudes towards the inclusion of mildly mentally retarded learners in mainstream education. Finally with regard to the variable of teaching phase qualification, there appeared to be insufficient evidence to make a decision as to the relationship between teaching phase qualification and educators' attitude towards the inclusion of mildly mentally retarded learners in mainstream education.

This study addresses the attitudes of counselors, teachers, and administrators toward competency testing programs in their districts. ten districts from each of the four states --Arizona, California, Michigan, and Oregon-- were randomly selected to participate in the study. A total of 247 educators responded to the survey. The following conclusions were made on the basis of the findings: (1) The competency programs have the support the teachers, counselors, and administrators who work with them; (2) They are perceived as being effective in identifying students in need of remediation; (3) They are perceived as being most beneficial to the deficient student, but the setting of minimum standards had not lowered the expectations of the average and above average student; (4) They have not eliminated any programs or courses from the curriculum; (5) They have not limited the parameter of course content guides to concepts covered in the competency test; (6) They are perceived as nor being expensive to the district; (7) The competency program does add a burden of extra paperwork for the groups surveyed, especially the counselors; (8) Most competency programs involve teachers, counselors, and administrators in the planning; (9) Improvements in the quality of education and in student learning are attributable to the the competency program; and (10) The competency program is a recognizable component of the educational program in those districts surveyed.