The use of data to inform decisionmaking and practice at the school and district levels is now a common feature of reform efforts. Advances in districts' technological capacities have produced data systems that allow a flow of data to and from schools, often to the point of creating an overwhelming flood of information. To make the flow of…

This book tells how to build a system leading to more student success beginning in elementary school and continuing through high school and postsecondary education. It identifies the key elements, describes effective practices, and shows how they come together to help students and educators succeed. "More Student Success" is an updated and…

Characteristics of student financial aid systems are reported and a framework for evaluating student financial aid systems and classifying major data processing designs is presented. The goals of a student financial aid system are discussed, including improved service to students, increased utilization of available funds, compliance with…

A manual of quality control (QC) techniques is presented for financial aid and fiscal administrators. Steps for establishing, designing, implementing, and evaluating a QC program are outlined including the following: obtaining institutional commitments; developing the QC team; determining priorities for development; determining functions to be…

Edits that can be performed by the processor who applies for federal campus-based student aid programs are discussed, along with a longer-term approach to assessing the efficacy of recommended edit checks. Attention is focused on the accuracy of data submitted by institutions on the application portion of the Fiscal Operations Report and…

A framework for monitoring quality control (QC) of processor contracts administered by the Department of Education's Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) is presented and applied to the Pell Grant program. Guidelines for establishing QC measures and standards are included, and the uses of a sampling procedure in the QC system are…

This study examines higher education reforms in the 15 European Union member states and 3 European Free Trade Association countries between 1980-98, identifying trends, convergences, and divergences between the countries and changes in the management and control of higher education institutions, particularly as they relate to financing and quality…

Following introductory material noting demands for accountability within student services programs, this paper describes an evaluation system that involves administrators, faculty, student affairs practitioners, and students in an assessment of the college's overall student services effort. The paper first discusses the 60-item opinionnaire used…

This manual contains nine articles intended to assist student financial aid professionals in conducting research. Initial chapters provide basic information for those starting to do such research while later chapters deal with more complex issues. Some chapters include appendices that provide examples of the techniques under consideration. from…

This paper reviews and critiques empirical evidence concerning knowledge gaps and misconceptions among secondary school students, parents/guardians, and educators about postsecondary education and student financial assistance opportunities and prerequisites, in particular, how Michigan's middle school based Project Awareness may affect student…

This report summarizes Washington-statewide results achieved in the most recent academic year for which statewide data are available (in most cases, the 2005-2006 academic year). Data on results for individual four-year institutions, as well as a variety of background information and contextual data is presented separately in a comprehensive…