A Study of Minimum Competency Tests and Their Impact. Final Report.

This project studied the impact of Minimum Competency Tests (MCT) on the educational careers of secondary students. The educational experiences of those students passing the MCT were compared with the experiences of those students not passing the MCT. The study compared three categories of students (learning handicapped, educationally marginal, and controls) on such outcomes as types of courses taken, transferring out of the district (to a district with an "easier" test), early school dropout, school attendance, disciplinary problems, self-concept, and attitudes toward school. Results indicated that performance on the MCT greatly impacts the types of courses selected, with students passing the MCT enrolling in more elective courses and fewer remedial courses. Students failing the MCT transferred up to 10 times more frequently than those passing the MCT. Students failing the MCT were up to 10 times more likely to drop out of school than passing students. Students failing the MCT were absent more often and had lower self-concept in the areas of academics in general, math, honesty, and same-sex relations. Appendixes include a sample data collection sheet, a self-description questionnaire, and a school attitude survey. References accompany each chapter. (JDD)