This article explores the development of policy in quality assurance in higher education. While it briefly examines the broader context of quality assurance in South Africa in terms of the National Qualifications Framework as one of the political levers for establishing a quality assurance system in education and training systemically it focuses…

The New American Schools Development Corporation (NASDC) supports seven design teams that develop and implement comprehensive designs for high-performance schools. By 1995 plans had been developed for over 200 participating schools. This paper presents findings of a study that explored the elements of school-accountability systems that aid or…

A charter school is an autonomous entity that operates on the basis of a charter or contract between the individual or group (teachers, parents, and others) that organizes the school and its sponsor (local school board, county, or state board). Once granted a charter, the school receives educational formula-driven funding as though it were a…

This report examines the problem of accountability from the perspective of schools, rather than from the perspective of external policies intended to influence schools. The objective was to learn about how people in schools actually think about accountability in their daily work. Data were collected through case studies in 20 schools, and the…

In 1989, South Carolina passed the Flexibility Through Desegregation Program as a means to provide exemptions from state oversight to those schools that had demonstrated sustained improvement. The first section of this paper provides an overview of educational improvement legislation enacted in South Carolina, specifically, the deregulated schools…

This policy brief explores the charter-school concept, looking specifically at: (1) the development of the charter-school idea; (2) current models of charter schools; (3) issues regarding the development of charter schools, such as district reluctance, teacher concerns, organized opposition, fiscal issues, and admission policies; and (4) progress…

A study of one school's involvement in school-based curriculum development (SBCD) for nearly 30 years provided researchers with information on the factors affecting the success of SBCD programs. The school studied serves 3,500 students in 12 grades at several sites in an Israeli city. Following interviews with faculty members, the researchers…

School site management, a decentralized approach to decision-making and school governance, is intended to help parents and teachers share increased accountability for student learning and provide a broadened leadership base through teacher empowerment. This approach involves a shift of decision-making responsibility from the school district to…

A report on a bill to establish an endowment program for developing institutions is presented. The bill, the Challenge Grant Amendments of 1983, would amend the Higher Education Act of 1965, Title III, Part C, in order to: (1) encourage the development of endowment funds by developing institutions, (2) provide additional incentives to promote…

The Dade County (Florida) Public School system has had various types of school-based management (SBM) procedures in operation since 1974. During the 1985-86 school year, a committee of principals and other administrators reviewed the concepts of SBM from a different viewpoint, using various materials that addressed the professionalization of…

The papers are: "Making Higher Education Policy at the National Level" (Ralph K. Huitt); "Federal Impact and Higher Education Systems" (G. Homer Durham); "External Control and Institutional Governance" (Allan W. Ostar); "Federal Regulations and Institutional Autonomy" (Louis W. Bender); "Making Federalism Work" (Warren G. Hill); "Advice for Policy…

Three issues concerning educational policy making are examined in this paper: (1) Who has the power to affect major policies in Canadian postsecondary education? (2) How does a shift in power affect educational policy making? and (3) How can institutional management best respond to this power? After presenting a rationale for its focus on power,…

Why accountability by institutions of higher education is necessary is discussed. Current federal, regional, and state involvement in accountability is examined. Such involvement includes federal legislation, regional accrediting agencies' requirements, and state legislation. Future trends in accountability requirements are also examined. (SPG)

Faculty members, administrators, and board members must work together to find acceptable resolutions of the problems created by under and overproduction if they hope to retain the autonomy of their colleges. Underproduction is illustrated in insufficient attention to community employment needs, inadequate quality control in career programs, poor…

Many universities play a considerable role in their country's cultural activities, while at the same time maintaining their independence and enjoying a large degree of autonomy. This article explores the extent to which such independence or autonomy influences the cultural policy of governments. (Author/AV)