In this book, the Consortium for Community College Development's Think Tank (Michigan) identifies four critical and enduring issues for change in community colleges: (1) attracting and recruiting students in an increasingly competitive market; (2) improving student success through innovative approaches to teaching and learning; (3) encouraging…

This report provides information on design and evaluation of workplace literacy programs (WLPs) to improve work force readiness and an overview of concepts about the nature, uses, and abuses of standardized tests in program evaluation and accountability. Chapter 1 takes a sociohistorical and sociopolitical perspective in discussing the knowledge…

Healthy, properly nourished students who feel safe are better able to concentrate on their work, attend school on a regular basis, and perform well in class and on tests. Despite such research findings, however, discussions about improving student achievement often occur separately from discussions about schools' roles in addressing health and…

Universities were once largely insular institutions whose purview extended no further than the campus gates. Not anymore. Today's universities have evolved into multifaceted organizations with complex connections to government, business, and the community. This thought-provoking book by Harold Shapiro, former president of both Princeton University…

In January 2005, the National Education Association (NEA) partnered with the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) to host the National Summit on Asian and Pacific Islander Issues in Education. The Summit brought together over 50 researchers, leaders of national organizations, and NEA members to discuss the status of…

A study was conducted to examine undergraduate external degree programs and to assess their value in terms of job advancement and preparation for further education for approximately 1500 selected pre-September, 1975, graduates from 21 institutions with external degree programs. The relevance of such programs for adult education is discussed.…

Argues that quality assurance (QA) initiatives in Australian higher education can be used for a politics of transformation in the interests of women. Examines QA audit processes and one regional university's response to QA initiatives, through which its culture and management style were significantly transformed from an informal, pastoral model to…

In its third year, direct lending is working well for college students and administration. It is a simpler, faster, more efficient way of getting loan funds to students that cuts out financial middlemen. It helps students manage their finances better when repaying loans, promotes competition, stimulates program innovation, leads to greater…

Department of Education regulations and initiatives designed to address problems of fraud, abuse, and loan default in federal student aid programs are examined. The scope and intrusiveness of some recent regulations are criticized, and unintended effects are noted, including increased administrative burdens on all institutions. (Author/MSE)

Argues that the "new managerialism" approach to educational management in Scotland, with its emphasis on performance monitoring, diverts attention away from the core concerns of educational delivery and incurs significant bureaucratic costs. An alternative model, which is based on collegiality and democracy, focuses on professionalism,…

This article reports on a team effort by faculty from a public school district and an urban university to create an observation tool to be used to evaluate and mentor preservice and inservice teachers' abilities to address issues of classroom diversity. The observation tool is provided, along with implementation suggestions. (Contains references.)…

Combines a global, national, and local perspective to study the effects of educational changes over the last 20 years on the relationships among head teachers, teachers, and parents in France. Examines the impact of five kinds of transformations--decentralization, marketization, accountability, managerialism, and professionalism--on definitions of…

Discusses which kinds of data educators should respect and which they should reject. Asserts that most state accountability tests fail to produce the kinds of data that will improve teaching and learning. Teachers can get the data they need from their own instructionally useful classroom assessments. (WFA)

Topics discussed in this feature include the importance of measurement and evaluation (M&E) in physical education, the gap between theory and practice in physical education M&E, accountability, grading and testing, M&E curricula in professional physical education preparation programs, and practical guidelines for constructing assessment…

Examines major cost-effectiveness proposals, describing developments that highlight concerns over making schools cost effective. The article discusses ways to blend the concerns of educational quality, equity, and costs (district consolidations, shared service and facilities arrangements, new accountability strategies, new information systems,…