This paper develops further the ideas contained in two earlier reports, Effective Secondary Schools (1988) and Effective Primary Schools (1989), and recommends a systematic approach to the management of school effectiveness through using a school development plan. The purpose of the paper is twofold: to present and explain the role of the school…

This book offers a synthesis of practices and policies in collegiate quality assurance, examining a range of contemporary approaches that include accreditation, student feedback, professional licensure, college rankings and ratings, and other measures of academic quality. A quality assurance model is offered that links principles of good practice…

The focus of this 2-day hearing was on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Witnesses testified about the importance of the NAEP as a national assessment tool and the changes that the Subcommittee on Elementary, Secondary, and Vocational Education (SESVE) might consider for the future. On March 13, the following persons…

The status of Tennessee public education from preschool through graduate school is summarized in this joint report. Following an introduction, the report describes the state's readiness for learning and working, changes necessary for the 1990s, goals and plans for the future, expected results, and leadership challenges. Appendices contain…

Information on student achievement and personnel data is contained in this annual report of Columbus, Ohio, Public Schools for 1989-90. Section 1 offers a report on districtwide student achievement data. Eleven tables present mathematics, language, and reading scores and compare them to national averages. The second section presents three tables…

An overview of Iowa public schools for the school year 1990-91 is provided in this report. Findings are based on school-site visitations made by the state "ambassador for education." Following an introduction, section 1 describes successes of the state public school system, some of which include changing classroom practices, increasing…

Abstracts of research projects conducted within the Austin (Texas) Independent School District (AISD) by external agencies or individuals are presented. Each of these researchers went through a screening process in which AISD staff members reviewed their proposals to ensure protection of AISD students and staff and quality research that fits the…

A Request for Proposal (RFP) is the formal document used by an agency to solicit services from the outside sources that education agencies often use for the design, administration, or scoring of assessment measures. The guidelines presented are intended to help in writing an RFP. A few fundamental aspects of assessment significantly influence the…

Accountability has always been a basic concept in public education, although ideas about how to accomplish it have changed over the years. Problems in urban schools have given rise to the hope that carefully created systems of accountability might spur school improvement and school restructuring. Devising a system of genuine accountability in a…

This handbook provides guidelines for the evaluation of compensatory and bilingual education programs in New Jersey. Each local education agency (LEA) is required to complete an annual evaluation of previous year program information for basic skills programs funded totally or in part by state and federal resources. Bilingual and…

The work of the Program Effectiveness Panel (PEP) of the United States Department of Education was examined. The PEP is the Department of Education's primary means of certifying or validating the effectiveness of educational programs. Thirty-three educational programs were validated by the PEP between January 1988 and December 1990. Over time,…

The "National Survey of Economic Education 1981" presented an overly optimistic view of the status of economic education which is not substantiated by a careful review of national and state data or the many recent national surveys on precollegiate education. This review of both national and state survey data indicates problems in both…

With the publication of "A Nation at Risk," public education suddenly became a top national political priority. This report of the National Commission on Excellence in Education warned of a wide range of educational shortcomings. Among these were: 13 percent of 17-year-olds are functionally illiterate, high school students graduate with…

The social and economic turbulence encountered from 1966 to 1977 was the major factor in the National Association of Independent School's (NAIS) developing a new long range planning process in 1977. The process is based upon the premise that an independent school must constantly evaluate itself against internal and external criteria. It does not…

The use of performance funding, which provides institutions with income for educational results, was tested in Tennessee. Traditionally, the budget has been separated from performance evaluation, and state formulas have evolved from the need for funding to be objective, comparable, and predictable. The Performance Funding Project in Tennessee,…