This 2015 document was developed to help technical assistance (TA) providers and state staff define and limit the scope of data analysis for program improvement efforts, including the State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP); develop a plan for data analysis; document alternative hypotheses and additional analyses as they are generated; and…

The SSIP [State Systemic Improvement Plan] Phase II Process Guide describes the steps needed to accomplish the work of the three components of Phase II. Thus, the SSIP Phase II Process Guide is organized according to the following sequential phases of work to be done, rather than by the three components: (1) Kicking off Phase II; (2) Developing…

Good practice notes offer practical advice and examples of good practice to guide operations in regard to specific, higher education issues. The good practice notes are intended to support and promote the quality assurance approaches of providers. This Good Practice Note is intended to support higher education providers to better understand,…

Just what is meant by a "Best Practice"? A best practice is a procedure, a process, or a system, adopted by best performing districts, which has a noticeable long-term positive impact on the strategic objectives of the Procurement organization. The concept of "best practices" is a fluid one. As technology, regulations and…

Years of data show many students exit the U.S. educational system unprepared for college and career. In response, the White House launched the "My Brother's Keeper" (MBK) initiative, calling for the closing of opportunity gaps faced by boys and young men of color. SWIFT Center assembled a national task force to determine how SWIFT can…

More than 70 percent of the students who access higher education in Washington do so first at a two-year institution. Washington's two-year colleges account for a higher percentage of public and private college student enrollments (49 percent) than in the United States in general (34 percent). The Higher Education Coordinating Board's (HECB)…

A considerable amount of time, effort, and other resources go into the development and implementation of education projects. Quite obviously, the goal is to create effective projects that can serve as models of excellence. Whether the project is an hour-long endangered species talk, a family festival, a severe weather awareness workshop, marine…

The fundamental concepts of Achieving the Dream--using evidence to develop and evaluate strategies for improving student learning and success--are also important to successful efforts to meet accreditation requirements. Following the Achieving the Dream approach can help community colleges organize and document improvement efforts in ways that are…

Examines the evolution of the writing center at Queens College City University of New York. Asserts that a sense of community is the most important element of a writing center. (MM)

This is the third of three volumes that constitute the final evaluation report of Project STAR (State Technical Assistance Resources), an undertaking of the Maryland State Department of Education designed to help 36 elementary schools improve their reading programs. This volume is the project handbook and contains information concerning the…

The purpose of this paper is twofold: (1) to discuss the variety of factors which should be considered in establishing a testing program; and (2) to summarize some of the basic features of testing programs in Wisconsin public school districts. An effective district-wide testing program should consist of at least the following seven elements:…

The author, an in-service planner, tells of the four main complaints his teachers have about in-service programs: irrelevance, presenters, loss of time with students, and locations. For each problem at Redondo Union High School in California, he explains the solution. (SJL)

Describes what one school is doing in its theater faculty to seize the opportunity of "owning" an assessment program. (KEH)

This booklet reviews the developmental tasks and needs of infants and toddlers, describes the support for healthy development currently available in the United States, and documents needs which are not being met. Two major initiatives are proposed and strategies for their implementation are recommended. Proposals argue for the (1) establishment of…

A five-step method of instructional program evaluation is described, which helps insure educators that their graduates will continue to gain employment and that courses will continue to teach skills sought by employers. The steps are self-identification, target groups, requirements, data reduction, and program development. (CT)