This report on Institutional Effectiveness (IE) at South Texas Community College (STCC) analyzes the evolution of IE over a 5-year period. The report identifies four phases: (1) assessment (1996-98); (2) assessment and follow-up (1998-99); (3) unit planning (1999-2000); and (4) institutional effectiveness. The phased-in planning was instituted…

In this issue of Forum Focus, we focus on what researchers and policy makers are doing to help governments take stock of their efforts to make sure that every young person is "Ready by 21"--ready for work, ready for college, ready for life. "Research Update" reviews efforts to establish a coherent set of youth development…

Recent abandonment of certain established criteria in Australia's system of resource allocation for higher education are discussed along with resulting effects. The criteria include: specific institutional needs, nondisruption of institutional activities, and recognition of institutional autonomy. (MSE)

The various and developing forms of governmental intervention and control affecting universities are discussed. State intervention and control, program audits and evaluations, and federal intervention are described. The cost of interventions into institutional autonomy and the negative effect on quality are seen as increasing. (MLW)

Based on Strasser and Deniston's guidelines (TM 504 251), the author discusses pre-planned and post-planned program evaluation decisions based on: (1) attitude of the organization being evaluated; (2) availability of resources; and (3) usefulness of the findings for programmatic decision making. (MH)

Describes the implementation in one British school district of a model auditing system that takes curriculum as its starting point. Although the model drives the local educational authority funding formula, its educational importance is at the school level. Its implementation in a special secondary school for students with severe, profound, and…

The processes and results of the University of Colorado at Boulder's streamlining of student services are outlined. The review and planning procedures included preparation of departmental annual reports, a revised academic services mission statement, a prioritizing programs exercise, a process exercise, budget reallocation recommendations,…

Eight common objections to performance funding of public colleges are presented and answered. The arguments focus on the complexity of higher education's goals, diversity of institution type, subjectivity of educational quality, relative power of the allocation amounts linked to performance measures, politics of resource allocation, cost of…

This book describes the historical perspectives related to the education of Black children through their heritage, their family and community, and institutions of learning. The complex interactions between Blacks and Whites and the roles of philosophers, theorists, and educational practitioners in this historical development are discussed. The…

This paper reports on the implementation of an Integrated Assessment and Strategic Planning (IASP) process to comply with accountability requirements at the community college of New Mexico State University at Alamogordo. The IASP model adapted an existing compliance matrix and applied it to the business college program in 1995 to assess and…

This report, presented in nine parts, contains an executive summary and recommendations, historical background, the national context, a description of physics programs in Virginia for physics majors and those in other majors, a description of students' experiences in physics programs including alumni, an explanation of distribution of faculty…

This report discusses the findings from two case studies of state use of discretionary funds under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Part B. The two states involved in the study were Michigan and Wisconsin. Documents and interviews were used to gather detailed descriptive information from both states regarding: (1) the…

This report examines the needs and resources of educational counseling centers in Brazil that advise individuals about opportunities for undergraduate and graduate education in the United States. A survey of nine counseling offices run by the U.S. International Communication Agency (USICA), U.S. consulates, and American-Brazilian binational…

The suggestions offered in this paper are based on the experiences of two scientific researchers of how evaluations undertaken in a competitive arena, in which true experimental designs are not viable, can be designed in such a way that meaningful comparative data can be examined. Case studies of the Science and Engineering Research Semester and…

Educating disadvantaged students will demand a national commitment to increasing the resources devoted to the task, restructuring the schools in which the disadvantaged are educated, and conducting research needed to make those schools more effective. Educationally disadvantaged students have been exposed to insufficient educational experiences in…