Argues against the notion that all school districts should be the same size. Research on fiscal efficiency and school effectiveness does not express a consensus regarding the long-term effects or organizational implications of district size, and the country still has a range of district types. There should be more research on community identity.…

Examines research and trends related to equitable financing of rural schools, problems common to rural school districts, and an emerging "technology of individualization" that may negate any relationship between school effectiveness and school size. Commentaries discuss the value of district consolidation without school consolidation, and…

Discusses the growth of computer networks in elementary and secondary schools and describes numerous benefits for both instructional and management functions. Topics discussed include ease of use; educational advantages; examples of use in physics, writing, and journalism classes; student records management; cost benefits; and greater efficiency.…

Nova Southeastern University, Florida, has implemented a variety of techniques of cost containment for campus credit card transactions. These include restricted card acceptance parameters, careful merchant rate negotiation, increased automation of transaction processing, and sophisticated processing techniques. The university has demonstrated…

Analyzes the studies on the correlation between school expenditures and student achievement. Examines the effects of court-ordered equalization of interdistrict spending. Discusses a possible change of focus in recent educational research on the cost/quality problem as scholars grow concerned with designing more efficient policies. (86 footnotes)…

Describes recent efforts of the Center for Research in Evaluation, Standards and Student Testing (CRESST) to evaluate authentic assessment methods, such as portfolios and performance tests. When comparing the merits of authentic versus multiple-choice testing, it is wise to consider validity, reliability, consequences, fairness, generalization,…

Examines the economic rationale for vocationalizing secondary education in China by comparing vocational education graduates' and general education graduates' performance in the workplace. Using Beijing Auto Industry Company data, the study found that vocational-technical education graduates engaged in factory work relevant to their previous…

Increasingly, universities are using teleconferencing and computer meeting systems for a variety of administrative and instructional purposes, including more efficient and effective meetings, hiring, business administration education, and writing compositions. Many U.S. and foreign institutions are using the GroupSystems technology developed at…

Before jumping on another corporate bandwagon, educators should recall the primary difference between business and education. Workers produce consumer goods, whereas students should be concerned with constructing meaning. The marketplace model, even correctly applied, does not belong in the classroom. Total Quality Management is a content-free,…

Despite expansion in participation, Austrian higher education remains somewhat elitist. However, concepts of efficiency, strategic planning, deregulation, and performance evaluation are creating pressure for policy change. Inadequate admissions policies, overcrowding, and high dropout rates need to be addressed. (Author/MSE)

The University of North Carolina's postdoctoral advanced education in general dentistry program relies heavily on clinic productivity and effective management to meet the challenges of a diminishing state budget appropriation and lack of financial flexibility in the state university system. External funding is also sought actively but has not yet…

Performs empirical tests of the Mexican federal government's state-level education expenditures and examines changes in allocation patterns by comparing 1980 and 1990 cross-sections. Unlike other Latin American countries, where formulated grants are made to subnational jurisdictions, the Mexican allocation pattern seems neither rational nor…

The utility of cost-benefit analysis in program evaluation is illustrated using hypothetical examples of the consequences of natural environments service provision. Areas for further research related to cost and benefit implications are presented. Early intervention programs can use the cost-benefit framework to evaluate the social impact of…

A study investigated the attitudes of college and university employees concerning the recent privatization of dining services at three universities. Results indicate the employees saw the contractor, not the institution, as benefitting most from the changes. Employees had little understanding of the benefits of the arrangement to the university or…

Reports on a survey of academic libraries that was conducted to supplement findings of cost studies by providing measures of efficiency and effectiveness for cataloging departments based on reported productivity, number of staff, task distribution, and quality measures including backlogs, authority control, and database maintenance. Identifies…