Texas is shifting to an integrated, systems-oriented approach to providing work force services for its residents and employers in which all services are guided by a single mission and vision. Implementation strategies are clearly focused on achieving common results. Accountability means being able to ensure taxpayers, residents, employers, and…

This paper offers an initial assessment of Texas' work force development evaluation and performance management efforts. Following an overview, section 2 clarifies distinctions between performance management and evaluation responsibilities such as purpose, definition, information produced, general question asked, and key questions addressed.…

In order to encourage school districts to include students with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) in educational assessments, this report discusses issues involved in assessing students with LEP. Topics include: (1) the role of testing in education and the different types of tests mandated by educational reform legislation; (2) characteristics of…

This accountability report is the first in a series of progress reports describing how Washington's community and technical colleges have met their goals for educational programs, student achievement, and responsiveness to their communities. The strengths of the community and technical colleges are preparing a skilled workforce, providing access…

This short paper discusses the advantages of and outlines key design issues for creating charter districts. The design issues are divided into three categories representing the three central elements of the environment the districts are trying to create for their schools: the opportunity to perform, incentives to perform, and capacity to perform.…

This report to Congress covers the actions and accomplishments of the Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR) for the period beginning October 1, 2000, and ending September 30, 2002. The first section, titled "Overview of OCR Compliance and Enforcement Program," looks at the Office's organizational structure, complaint…

In 1999, the Intercultural Development Research Association was established to identify 10 promising and/or exemplary bilingual education programs in schools nationwide as determined by participating limited-English-proficient (LEP) students' academic achievement. Researchers requested data on achievement, retention rate, dropout rate, enrollment…

A study examined alternatives to retention or social promotion. Chapter 1 considers the short-term and long-term consequences of each alternative and concludes that neither improves declining graduation rates, declining ability to meet employer requirements, or the achievement gap between white students and students of color. Chapter 2 recommends…

This paper describes a study that explored superintendent and school-board evaluations. Specifically, it looked at some of the methods and uses of boards' evaluations of superintendents and some of the needs and methods of boards' evaluation of themselves. Data for the study were collected from 188 surveys of selected school superintendents in…

This collection of articles focuses on connections between education policy and teaching and learning practice. The articles place special emphasis on teaching in urban settings and on improving teacher-student interactions in the classroom. The articles--organized around three major themes: (1) race, culture, power, and language; (2) teacher…

This series of special reports argues that states must use their newly established, more rigorous standards to (1) provide teachers with the skills and knowledge required to teach to the higher academic standards and (2) provide students with additional opportunities to learn and to achieve the higher standards. This report presents a number of…

The history of bilingual education in Massachusetts since its first bilingual education law in 1971 is examined and compared to the experience of California, which is offered as an example of how bilingual education policy and practice may evolve in other states. It is suggested that Massachusetts has paralleled the California experience in…

The 2003 New York State Court of Appeals ruling in the "Campaign for Fiscal Equity" ("CFE") case has created a historic opportunity to reform New York City's troubled schools. This opening was created because the court not only required changing the state aid formula to ensure a "sound basic education" for all New…

Steps are needed to foster in faculty a renewed sense of collective purpose toward society. Communication gaps between policymakers and faculty have exacerbated a separation between higher education and society. Specific proposals may create a fiscal and structural environment to channel nascent faculty cooperation and entrepreneurial tendencies.…

Investigates the validity and reliability of performance assessments using data from over 300 fifth and sixth graders. Results demonstrate the gap between the reality of measurement through performance assessments and the political rhetoric that would institute these assessments in a national examination system in the immediate future. (SLD)