This study investigated teacher evaluation practices used in Indiana as the state was implementing a mandated teacher evaluation system (Public Law 90) and early reporting of subsequent teacher effectiveness results by the Indiana Department of Education. The study surveyed public school administrators: (a) superintendents, (b) special education…

In 2010, the Massachusetts Legislature lifted the cap on the number of charter schools that the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) can authorize in low-performing school districts. The "smart cap" requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to rank district performance (based on student outcomes)…

The purpose of this technical assistance paper is to provide a description of the procedures used to determine school grades for the 2014 school year. Florida's current school accountability system originated with state legislation passed in 1999 (the "A+ Plan") and has been revised periodically to reflect increased standards and…

The authors write about evaluation, testing, and research and their relation to policy, planning, and program in the Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) in Louisville, Kentucky. The authors focus on evaluation and testing for accountability and on managing the unit for this purpose. In detail they show the many evaluation demands from both…

Determining the limits of accountability and how schools should be assessed is one of the most difficult problems in education. The state of Texas has attempted accountability by rewarding some schools and punishing others without justification. The school superintendents of Bexar County (Texas) and the Center for Educational Leadership at Trinity…

This bulletin summarizes: (1) the Indiana law (HB 1360) that requires public schools to implement teacher performance evaluations as a condition of accreditation, (2) a recent study of teacher evaluation plans and techniques commissioned for the Indiana Department of Education by the Consortium on Educational Policy Studies at Indiana University,…

This interim evaluation of Louisiana's 1986-87 Early Childhood Development Program focuses primarily on ongoing second and third year projects, but also provides some descriptive information about the general characteristics and implementation strategies of first year projects. The purpose of the evaluation was to provide information to decision…

Guidelines are presented to ensure sex equity in the Washington state public schools. A legislative mandate requires the Superintendent of Schools to apply provisions of the sex equity statutes to any activity conducted by or on behalf of a school district. Every year, one third of the state's 296 school districts are required to complete an…

The South Dakota Assessment System provides information for schools to use in evaluating their teaching and curriculum as well as allowing parents to monitor their child's progress. All public schools in South Dakota test students according to South Dakota Codified Law 13-3-55, which was adopted in January 1997 and amended in January 2003. This…

This report traces the origins, evolution and impact of Minnesota's pioneering charter school law--on its own schools, students, and communities and on the development of charter laws in many other states. It notes that, unlike what is now happening elsewhere, new schools are now being chartered at an accelerating pace in Minnesota. And because…

This report contains detailed data on average salaries in the comparison institutions of the University of California and the California State University. It analyzes raw data submitted by comparison institutions for the University and State University and then provides a detailed written analysis of faculty salary parity computations. It is noted…

Intended for boards of education, teachers, and concerned citizens, the manual suggests means of evaluating state laws and public school services for mentally retarded students. Guidelines provide information on right to education legislation and litigation, suggestions for citizen monitoring of school services, and a list of resources. Presented…

The educational reform movement of the 1980s forced superintendents and school boards to critically reexamine the rationale used for principal evaluation. The 1985 South Carolina Educational Improvement Act forced all administrators to objectively define and evaluate educational goals for both students and personnel. Consequently, the Abbeville…

Section 14 of Act No. 307, Public Acts of 1969 of the State of Michigan directed the Department of Education to plan and develop a state program to assess educational progress. The purposes and procedures to be followed in this program during the 1969-70 school year, are outlined in this report. The program will consist of two complementary…

State activities to collect information on program outcomes for students enrolled in postsecondary vocational education were examined in spring 1990. A multistage process, beginning with a review of state reports and legislation, was followed by telephone interviews with state officials. The average number of respondents per state was five.…