The University of Massachusetts system launched a legislative "Report Card" project in an effort to pre-empt accountability mandates and improve institutional performance. In the process, the University developed legislative survey and focus group tools, empowered a system-wide University Institutional Research Group; and developed peer…

This document, which highlights the efforts of the National Institute for Literacy to pilot the development of state literacy accountability systems in four states, outlines the components, operation, and importance of state accountability systems and discusses considerations in developing a systems approach to planning and implementing a quality…

This report presents recommendations for performance indicators for Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), with emphasis on indicators reflecting the needs of the Education Department. Themes of the indicators include more attention given to "context variables" such as low birth-weight infants and drug abuse…

Most libraries involved to any extent with total quality management (TQM) realize that successfully gathering information from their customers is the key to improving services. To do this libraries must employ a variety of methodologies, both quantitative and qualitative research. Quantitative primary data is usually collected in libraries by…

This is the fourth in a series of reports evaluating the Public Library Statistics (PLS) program, an annual census of public libraries in the United States. The census includes, in addition to a full count of public libraries and their outlets, a variety of statistics about the services provided by and, the financial condition and the staffing…

The multimethod approach used to collect a assessment data at the local and state levels for the Louisiana Teacher Assessment Program is described. This program develops information about a new teacher's competence that can be used to suggest instructional improvement activities and to decide on qualifications for certification. The first…

In order to help formulate the research questions for a future study on the long-term outcomes of students with disabilities, this study collected information from eight states concerning their priorities for longitudinal research on students who received special education services under the age of 5 years. State directors of special education in…

This paper focuses on the void in the literature on the methodology of institutional research and examines the complex process of interaction that occurs when an institution engages a faculty member or academic unit to assume primary responsibility for conducting a research project on behalf of the institution. A case study of a study conducted by…

The National Household Education Survey (NHES) is a data collection system of the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) that is designed to address a wide range of education-related issues through telephone surveys. It provides descriptive data on the educational activities of the U.S. population and offers a variety of educational…

This paper focuses on the application of total quality management (TQM) in human resources development. It analyzes writings of five leading total quality authors from which four basic principles, or pillars, are derived as the basis for the application of total quality within the instructional setting. The pillars are: (1) customer satisfaction;…

This booklet provides questions and answers that point to the increasing interest that states have in developing, shaping, and evaluating the success of schools. The booklet highlights the analysis and recommendations of representatives of 10 states (California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New…

Seven Oaks School, a high school in Winnipeg (Canada) recently conducted a followup study of its graduates using a unique approach. High school seniors helped develop the structured interview instrument and carried out the research. As it gathered important information to help the school district in its planning, the study provided students with…

The National Household Education Survey (NHES) is a data collection system of the National Center for Education Statistics, which has the legislative mission of collecting and publishing data on the condition of education in the United States. The NHES provides information on educational issues that are best addressed by contacting households…

This review identifies options for developing alternate assessments for students with disabilities who are unable to participate in the general district and state assessments used for accountability purposes. It notes that students with disabilities are often excluded from these educational assessments used for accountability and urges development…

This resource paper describes two recent studies and one report on special education costs and the methodology used in their analyses. Each study and its data source are summarized with a short discussion on the quality of the data and its usefulness and limitations in generating reliable cost estimates for special education. The paper summarizes…