We must keep in mind that PASS proficiencies address knowledge appropriate for all entering students and do not in all cases address specialized knowledge of the type needed for a particular major. This information will continue to be obtained from listings of specific courses taken in high school and grades received in those courses. We will continue to do our best to fairly compare the qualifications of students coming from diverse educational systems. In cases where the Oregon University System has worked with the home school, private school, or state system, proficiency-based reporting is an option that will make it easy to compare students to uniform and public standards. In other cases, we will rely on years of experience with grades and transcripts.
Standardized tests apply equally to all applicants.
Grades, essays, letters of recommendation, and evidence of achievement outside the classroom are all used to award scholarships based on academic achievement. PASS will become part of this mix. The class entering in the Fall of 2001 will view standards-based education as the rule rather than the exception. They will have been awarded Certificates of Initial Mastery and have been asked to provide evidence of PASS proficiency in English and Mathematics. Students familiar with standards-based teaching will anticipate clarity in the goals and objectives of their classes.