IMPLICATIONS OF PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND STANDARDS FOR EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT IN AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION

Abstract

The Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act Amendments of 1990 mandated that states develop a system of performance measures and standards to be used for program evaluation and improvement. The purpose of this study was to examine the systems of performance measures and standards that each state had approved in response to the Perkins Act of 1990 for secondary vocational programs and identify implications for agricultural educators. Ninety-six percent of the states reported academic measures and standards for secondary programs. Academic areas of mathematics, reading, and language were ranked high by states as an approved measures for academic skill in both basic and advanced skill area. For other performance, one hundred percent of the states had approved at least one measure for secondary programs. The most common types of measures for other performance were work skill attainment and any placement. Agricultural educators need to be aware of these measures and standards as they plan and modify programs. Agricultural educators should place more emphasis on mathematics, reading, and language. In addition, agricultural educators need to increase their knowledge and skills related to assessment since states indicated a heavy reliance on locally developed assessment techniques.