The kingdom of Morocco has developed an educational system that incorporates traditional customs and values of the people with the system of accountability practiced there under French colonial rule. A highly structured curriculum for each educational level is combined with a minimum competency requirement at each grade level. (Author/MH)

Examines trends in the Spanish higher education system that have allowed market influences to grow in recent years. Analyzes historical framework and legal changes facilitating market trends and considers their influence on the financial and organizational structure of universities as well as on accountability and quality assessment. Concludes…

Examines remedial/developmental education within a rapidly changing educational environment of advanced technology and new demands. Discusses rationale for different delivery models of remedial education. (28 citations) (YKH)

Evaluated the impact that an association with the Teachers College of a midwestern university had on student achievement at schools designated as Professional Development Schools (PDSs). Data were collected from the state mandated achievement test and from ratings of the PDSs. Comparison of PDS and non-PDS sites showed no significant differences…

The seven articles of this issue examine the implications of the proposed use of a variety of new assessments for students and parents, schools and school personnel, the educational system, and society in general. They clarify the dilemmas that challenge educational assessment and the relationship of assessment to educational reform. (SLD)

Missouri's two-tiered higher education funding program addresses state-level accountability demands while rewarding campus-level improvements in teaching and learning. The context and evolution of the program are described, characteristics of the state-level and campus-level planning efforts are outlined, and issues in implementation and future…

The more successful college and university responses to the demand for accountability and assessment have been campus-based, with administrative and faculty leadership and support. Efforts initiated in state governments have been less substantive. An emerging trend in Europe is toward quality audits by peer assessment teams, reflecting greater…

Business should participate in school reform but has too narrow a perspective to guide it. Nationalizing education through comparative testing is a move to cut spending for social services, to increase accountability and efficiency without increasing financial responsibility or equity. Imposing private-sector rules on public education undermines…

A new approach in alternative assessment focuses on student-led conferences. This paper explains how one Iowa middle school implements student-led conferences. The approach combines authentic assessment via portfolios with greater student involvement. Additional components include self-assessment, effective communication, parental involvement, and…

Ontario, Canada's grassroots movement toward integrating disabled students harmonizes with governmental intentions to reduce costs while preserving student rights and accountability. However, decentralized, market-driven models hamper equity. More students are labelled exceptional, schools target privileged enrollees, minority students lack…

The Glion Declaration, issued after a 1998 higher education leadership colloquium, proposes strategies for addressing higher education challenges in the 21st century. Issues addressed include teaching as moral vocation, scholarship as public trust, creation of new intellectual alliances, use of information technology, public service as…

The critical issue for education is how to induce the most productive use of school resources through governance, finance, and management structures that enhance student achievement. Despite inadequate research and waning public confidence, Americans want all kids to learn and achieve to high standards. (MLH)

Case study of how teachers reacted to policy paradoxes related to a district's efforts to implement an inclusive special-education program. Examines how emerging teacher leaders attempted to make sense of several policy paradoxes within the context of ambiguous site-based management practices. (Contains 48 references.) (PKP)

An eight-year study of 49 schools purporting to practice and apply Quality Management (QM) techniques and processes uncovered some revealing differences between what respondents thought "should be" happening in these schools and what they reported was happening. The gaps uncovered could be recognized as differences between rhetoric and…

Legislative and programmatic efforts to improve teacher quality have become a major focus of state policymaking in recent years. States have employed numerous strategies in response to concerns about the preparation, quantity, and capacity of the teacher workforce. In this chapter, the authors introduce conceptual frameworks for understanding…