Findings from a study that explored the motivations of legislators to oversee and control program implementation are presented in this paper. Implementation is viewed as a contract between the legislative and executive branches with legislators acting as monitors who use oversight to control the agencies contracted to implement policy. A total of…

Findings from a study to examine the relationship between school climate factors and student achievement in the Austin Independent School District are presented in this executive summary. Factor and regression analyses were used to analyze data from a survey of all public school professionals in the district. Findings suggested that differences in…

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is briefly described. The NAEP was designed in 1969 as a voluntary cooperative program to answer questions about education nationally. In 1988, the NAEP was defined as a means of improving the effectiveness of the nation's schools by making objective information available about student…

A profile of achievements and future challenges facing Colorado's public education system is offered in this document. Section 1 describes challenges of the future, focusing on needs assessment and the changes in the state's demography. The second section provides information on educational developments and issues, such as accountability, national…

A review of the discipline of economics as it exists in the State University System of Florida is presented. The introduction presents a description of economics as a discipline and a discussion of economics programs from a state perspective. The topics covered included business economics versus economics, college of business versus college of…

A review of the discipline of geography as it exists in the State University System in Florida is outlined. The report is presented in four parts. Part 1 discusses the role and position of geography in the curriculum, and geography in relation to Florida and its State University System. Part 2 features a discussion of the responses to State…

This document proposes a statement of purpose for public education and provides a rationale to support and possibly to improve the statement. The statement reads: "The purpose of elementary and secondary public education in this country is to enable all students to be and to become productive contributors toward making planet earth a good and…

Few positive comments about the way the nation prepares its teachers have been made. Many teacher education programs are in disarray due to inept staff and curricula that have not kept up with research results. In addition, many state agencies have set teacher certification requirements that are political in nature. From current analyses of…

The Indicators of Quality Schools instrument is designed to be used in school self-studies to identify priority areas for improvement or closer study. Uses for the instrument are outlined in this user's guide. Emphasis is placed on ensuring that the staff is oriented to evaluating school practices. The instrument may be completed by small groups…

An external evaluation of the impact of the Australian Studies in Student Performance (ASSP) Project on schools and systems is reported. The presented chapters follow in sequence the development of ASSP. The first chapter places the Australian Project in an international context and outlines the major questions dealt with in this evaluation.…

Instructional development, a systematic way of applying standards of critical thought to the design of instructional materials and programs, is advocated for its potential contribution to consistency of instructional purposes and actions, adaptability, and internal accountability. Steps in the systematic method, the evaluation problem, and choice…

Observing that historically the American legal teaching profession has strongly objected to part-time legal education, the author traces those attitudes through the ninteenth century to the changes in the 1970s, listing factors contributing to full-time legal education's no longer needing to feel threatened by its part-time sibling. (JT)

Several tools for clarifying program evaluation roles and an outline of educational program components and evaluative questions are presented. Available from: Extension Division, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon S7N OWO. (Author/MW)

Traces average response to recession, beginning with the use of blinders to maintain the illusion of the good old days, through the belated realization to the ill-considered hysterical response. Then, of course, the business like approach. Presented in Williamsburg, Virginia, in May to the Potomac and Chesapeake ACAC. (Author)

Facing severe financial problems, the author suggests that colleges and universities must reassess their objectives and improve their performance. Financial rewards are suggested as incentives for improvement in research and teaching. (DE)