In education, competition and devolution are two dominant forces driving schools to become leaner, faster, smarter, and more viable institutions. This article presents 98 ideas for helping administrators raise funds and reap cost savings on employee salaries, facilities, financial management, food service, maintenance, purchasing, scheduling,…

Britain's new inspection system requires that schools be assessed for efficiency and value for money. Drawing on a content analysis of 66 secondary school inspection reports, this paper considers implementation problems and whether schools have adopted the rational approach to resource management. Few schools had successfully adopted all elements…

Business students were taught a total quality management-based outlining process for course readings and a tally method to measure learning efficiency. Comparison of 233 who used the process and 99 who did not showed that the group means of users' test scores were 12.4 points higher than those of nonusers. (Contains 25 references.) (SK)

The article reports preliminary observations on data from six colleges on application of a regression model to help explain observed differences in instructional efficiencies of specific curricula. A major finding was that the most efficient distribution of students is in the humanities and social sciences. Tentative explanations for this finding…

The Kentucky constitution's intent was to found a free system of common schools. Historically, local support for Kentucky public schools has left much to be desired. Taxpayer reluctance to support schools through local property taxation is exacerbated by state legislation overtly discouraging this approach. Efficiency is, therefore, impossible.…

A program at an inner-city community health center involving 20 family practice residents provided an educational intervention concerning the use of laboratory tests based on quality of care, not cost containment. During the program, the use of thyroid stimulating hormone test declined, while complete blood counts ordered did not. (MSE)

Advice is offered for making college alumni reunions fun and memorable, illustrated with anecdotes from various institutions. Suggestions include exciting opening activities, focusing on the particular habits or characteristics of a class, appealing to a variety of tastes, emphasizing class identity, savoring favorite campus traditions, and…

This study examined the efficiency of over 5,000 reading and mathematics screening tests specifically developed for assigning levels of the Stanford Achievement Test, 8th edition (SAT-8), to deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Analysis found the screening tests more effective in assigning student levels for some SAT-8 subtests than for others. (DB)

College public relations professionals offer advice to make the most of a small staff. Ideas include effective use of available technology, media services, and student intern and worker skills; use of external services; carefully planned dissemination of information; staff training in media relations; and setting priorities. (MSE)

Improving South African higher education must be considered in the global context of social, environmental, and industrial dilemmas. The policy challenge is translating the academic dimensions of efficiency and effectiveness (teaching, research, productivity) into social dimensions (social, economic, political, industrial, environmental, health,…

Evaluates a peer counseling program aimed at helping first-year students use computers in the University of Newcastle economics department. The scheme has not harmed students' abilities to use computers and, in some cases, has improved their skill. The scheme is inexpensive and provides significant potential savings in staff and hardware costs.…

Recent literature on Brazilian educational finance has documented low expenditure levels and problems of efficiency, efficacy, and equity. This paper analyzes financial data from Bahia state "municipios" and examines revenue and expenditure trends to explain variations in financial commitment across "municipios." Local interest…

This article describes the cost-of-quality model used at El Camino College (California), which formally measures the costs associated with process improvement activities. A case study illustrates use of the model in evaluating a new process for reimbursing faculty and staff attending conferences. (DB)

Teachers dislike faculty meetings that seem time-consuming and pointless. Principals can help make faculty meetings more useful by holding meetings with a purpose, talking about teaching, planning meetings that fit teachers' needs, setting realistic agendas with printed time allotments, and ensuring that meetings begin on time and stay on track.…

This article argues that nearly all college and university business and facilities officers can find utility efficiency projects on campus that have at least a 20 percent rate of return on investment, and successfully incorporate them into budgets. These projects are generally more successful when plant operations can retain some or all of the…