"The Achiever" is published semi-monthly during the school year for parents and community leaders. Each issue contains news and information about school improvement in the United States. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) "Study Yields First-Ever Data on K-12 Distance Education"; (2) "Putting Its Mark…

This paper examines how controlling statistically for baseline covariates (especially pretests) improves the precision of studies that randomize schools to measure the impacts of educational interventions on student achievement. Part I of the paper introduces the concepts, issues, and options involved. Parts II and III present empirical findings…

Online assessment promises a faster and more useful return of data about student performance in states accountability assessments. The prospect of gaining quick access to such information is alluring, and many states are creating new assessments for an online environment in order to obtain it. This period of retooling presents a significant…

This document addresses a study that aimed to better understand the historical development of British Columbia community college, university college, and institute system with special attention given to recent changes in inter-institutional collaboration in relation to provincial coordination. The study also addresses centralization and…

This document discusses the performance indicators set forth by Jamestown Community College in 2002 in order to assess the effectiveness of the school in specified areas. The document begins with an overview of the vision and mission statement of the school. The mission statement is closely related to the indicators that are discussed in the…

This report addresses the Virginia Community College System's (VCCS) core performance standards and measures for the years 2001-2002. There are four core indicators through which the VCCS is assessed. They are the following: (1) student attainment including academic and technical skills; (2) completion/graduation rate using first time, full-time…

This paper looks at what schools are doing to promote school safety. It is organized in four areas: (1) extent of problem behavior in schools, including the types of victimization experienced by students and teachers, and how students and teachers perceive the safety of their schools; (2) efforts used by schools to prevent problem behavior and the…

This paper offers an assessment model approach for program assessment of Information Systems (IS) undergraduate programs. The paper presents the case example of results of program assessment for the B.S. in Information Systems at University of Redlands (UR). It demonstrates the usefulness of the approach to understanding the overall success of an…

This volume contains the proceedings of the 7th international conference on Adults Learning Mathematics--A Research Forum held in July, 2000 in Massachusetts. It includes posters and short oral reports under these section headings: (1) Research into Practice; (2) Large- Scale Issues: Frameworks, Standards, and Assessment; (3) Theoretical…

"The Profiles in Practice: School Reporting Software" provides a framework for reports on different aspects of performance in an assessment program. This booklet is the installation guide and user manual for the Profiles in Practice software, which is included as a CD-ROM. The chapters of the guide are: (1) "Installation"; (2) "Starting the…

This supplement is designed to be used in conjunction with the elementary level educator's guide to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) curriculum. The "Educator's Guide" shows the components of the TEKS that are eligible for testing, and this supplement provides information about the types of passages, test items, and…

This report on state and district educational assessment programs suggests that, rather than being a threat, these assessments can be an important avenue to equity and excellence for English language learners with disabilities. It begins by examining some of the original ideas behind standards-based education, such as how current federal…

In Thailand, the need for skills in the labor force will become even greater in the next decade as the country's industrial and service companies seek to increase productivity through technological and organizational change. Historically, the limited provision of secondary education was a major bottleneck in skills development in Thailand. Major…

This study examines the perceptions of faculty, staff, and administrative participants involved in Northwest Community College's (Oregon) strategic planning process. Section 1 profiles the present-day community college, emphasizing changes in students and curriculum, increased competition, technological imperatives, and faculty development.…

This strategic plan highlights the mission and objectives for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board through the year 2007. It contains an assessment of external and internal factors that impact the state's 50 community college districts. Some of the external factors include changes in demographics and technology; internal factors include…