ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE EXECUTIvE BRANCH


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  The DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION continues to build on the solid foundation
that has been set for educational excellence in Wisconsin through the refinement
of existing
programs and the adoption of new ones.
  Curriculum and Instruction: Curriculum guides in II subject areas and a
general planning
guide have been issued to serve as models for local curriculum development.
Additional curricu-
lum guides in 5 vocational subject areas are being prepared.
  Summer camps for students  Business World. Science World, and Arts World
- continue to
provide instructional opportunities for both teachers and students. Arts
World and Science
World are primarily sponsored by the department, and Business World is cosponsored
with the
Wisconsin Association of Manufacturers and Commerce.
  Begun in 1984 on a pilot basis, Wisconsin's Academic Decathlon program
has now expanded
to include nearly one-half the state's high schools.
  Programs to enhance the teaching skills of teachers of mathematics and
science were initiated
as part of the initiative in federal economic development legislation. The
State Superintendent
established a statewide task force on Japanese culture, and recommendations
were developed
which focus on both education and economic development. Four school districts
offer instruc-
tion in the Japanase language.
  High school graduation requirements enacted by the legislature were initiated
with the ninth-
grade class of 1985. By 1988, all 4 of the high school class levels will
be subject to the new
academic requirements.
  Twenty educational standards related to instruction, pupil services, and
safety and health fa-
cilities were established by the legislature and are being implemented by
department rules. The
standards establish an integrated set of core education components that offer
the guarantee of
quality education available to all children.
  Teaching Excellence: The state superintendent's task force on teaching
and teacher education
called for measures to assure that Wisconsin will have an adequate supply
of well-qualified teach-
ers for future generations. Toward that goal, the department sponsored legislation
to establish
higher standards for admission to and graduation from schools of education.
Teacher incentive
plans are being studied in 32 school districts and include professional development,
career lad-
ders, and teacher induction programs.
  With the elimination of life licenses for certified school staff, the department
implemented the
Equivalency Credit Program to insure standards of quality in approved programs
of profes-
sional inservice programs.
  The Office of Teacher Placement and Analysis was established in 1984 and,
by the end of 1986,
more than 5,000 teachers and 400 school districts had used this placement
service.
   Competency Testing: Progress continues with the voluntary competency testing
program es-
tablished in 1982. A computerized test item bank for district use in construction
of testing be-
came operational in the fall of 1984 and will contain 40,000 test items by
the end of the 1985-87
biennium. Approximately 40 percent of the state's school districts are participating
in the testing
program.
  Job-Related Education: Wisconsin remains a leader in the provision of job
training under the
Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA), a federally supported program which
supports education
and training programs for economically disadvantaged young people. More than
350 Wisconsin
school districts are participating in JTPA-funded projects.
   Post-Secondary Preparation: Joint projects with the University of Wisconsin
System and the
Vocational, Technical and Adult Education (VTAE) system were initiated to
provide students
with reasonable advice on how they should prepare in high school for college,
vocational school,
or immediate employment. Each year, informational brochures are distributed
to eighth graders
and their parents. Another joint project with the UW System resulted in a
Minority Group
Precollege Scholarship Program. More than 1,100 minority middle and junior
high school stu-
dents participated in enrichment programs during the 1985-86 school year
and the summer.
   Library Services: As a result of the appointment of 2 task forces by the
State Superintendent,
 revised recommended standards for both school library media centers and
public libraries will be
 issued by the department in 1987.
   In 1986 a statewide electronic network was implemented for communicating
interlibrary loan
 requests between public library systems and state-level library resource
providers.