In 1999 Northumbria University published a strategy document entitled "Towards the web-enabled University". This prefaced an assessment of need and of available platforms for developing online teaching and learning which, in turn, led in 2001 to the roll out and institution-wide adoption of the Blackboard Virtual Learning Environment…

Today's institutions of higher education are facing an increased number of significant challenges taking place in the political, economic, social and technological environment. Accordingly, the issues of performance, accountability, and marketing strategies have become ever more important. It has been suggested that universities that are more…

This report is the result of a year-long effort by the National Council on Disability (NCD) to identify valid federal data and to describe the status of the U.S. population of Americans with disabilities. During the past 30 years, advocates, policymakers, and a variety of public and private organizations have undertaken significant efforts to…

International governments are increasingly comparing their educational outcomes to the best in the world, not just to see how they rank, but to identify and learn from top performers and rapid improvers. This process, known as "international benchmarking," has become an important tool for governments striving to create world-class…

The purpose of this report is to examine results in mathematics for the ACT Educational Planning and Assessment System (EPAS) in schools nationwide. EPAS consists of three programs: EXPLORE[R] (for students in grade 8 or 9), PLAN[R] (for students in grade 10), and the ACT[R] test (for students in grade 11 or 12). The following questions are…

Purpose: The major purpose of this study was to provide information about expected spoken language skills of preschool-age children who are deaf and who use a cochlear implant. A goal was to provide "benchmarks" against which those skills could be compared, for a given age at implantation. We also examined whether parent-completed…

This year, the Center for Community College Student Engagement focuses its national report on college completion--and the teaching and learning that must be the foundation for high-quality certificates and degrees. Effective teaching and meaningful learning: They are the heart of student success. This report describes four key strategies to…

This chapter reviews resources from scholars, practitioners, and policymakers on benchmarking in community colleges.

Quality of work life is being recognized more and more as a driving factor in the recruitment and retention of highly qualified employees. Before Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine began development of its QWL initiative, it surveyed other medical schools across the U.S. to determine benchmarks of best practices in these programs.…

The issue of accountability for student achievement stands at the forefront of American education. Educators, parents, and business representatives have joined forces to support improvements in hopes of requiring children to attain the knowledge and develop the skills necessary for life. As a result, high standards, assessments, and benchmarks…

The Quality Education Investment Act (QEIA) is California's latest K-12 intervention program to support low-performing schools. The state will allocate close to $2.7 billion through this seven-year program to help these schools meet performance and resource benchmarks. This two-page brief explains the selection and funding processes, details the…

Statistical neighbour models provide one method for benchmarking progress. For each local authority (LA), these models designate a number of other LAs deemed to have similar characteristics. These designated LAs are known as statistical neighbours. Any LA may compare its performance (as measured by various indicators) against its statistical…

Purpose: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality sponsored a nationwide study to evaluate the federal paid feeding assistant (PFA) regulation that allows nursing homes to hire single-task workers to provide feeding assistance to nursing home residents. Organizers designed the PFA regulation…

Educators are becoming more aware of the limitations of testing that simply measures student achievement at a single point in time, such as benchmark tests, locally constructed formative tests, conventional standardized tests, and state assessments used to determine adequate yearly progress under No Child Left Behind. Not surprisingly, school…

This report is one in a series of reference documents designed to assist those who are directly involved in the revision and improvement of content standards, as well as teachers who use standards and benchmarks to guide everyday instruction. Reports in the series provide information about how benchmarks might best appear in a sequence of…