This curriculum standards guide for Kansas presents the following mission statement: the goal of civics/government, economics, geography, and history curricula is to enable students by systematic study to acquire the knowledge, skill, and judgment to continue to learn for themselves; to participate intelligently, justly, and responsibly in civic…

In response to a request from the Child Care Bureau of the Administration for Children and Families, the Board on Children, Youth, and Families convened two workshops in 1999-2000 to review current and emerging efforts to establish performance measures for early childhood programs. At each workshop, experts in child development, child care, early…

The Water in Africa Project was realized over a 2-year period by a team of Peace Corps volunteers, World Wise Schools (WWS) classroom teachers, and WWS staff members. As part of an expanded, detailed design, resources were collected from over 90 volunteers serving in African countries, photos and stories were prepared, and standards-based learning…

The Water in Africa Project was realized over a 2-year period by a team of Peace Corps volunteers, World Wise Schools (WWS) classroom teachers, and WWS staff members. As part of an expanded, detailed design, resources were collected from over 90 volunteers serving in African countries, photos and stories were prepared, and standards-based learning…

This report presents first-year results of a multistage research study that examines the progress made during the past decade by the 50 states and six regional accrediting associations toward establishing and implementing higher education teaching and learning assessment policies. The report provides a history of state and regional assessment…

This document outlines the performance standards for music in North Dakota public schools, grades K-12. Four levels of performance are provided for each benchmark by North Dakota educators for K-4, 5-8, and 9-12 grade levels. Level 4 describes advanced proficiency; Level 3, proficiency; Level 2, partial proficiency; and Level 1, novice. Each grade…

The standards in this document are intended to provide every student in North Dakota's public schools with a set of skills that will enable him or her to participate in lifelong leisure, avocational, or professional music pursuits. To help all students achieve the standards outlined in the booklet, North Dakota educators must continue to ensure…

Reports on the development of a self-rating instrument for writing. The instrument engages learners in responding to a writing task and assessing their own proficiency against a set of benchmarks. Provides a description of the self-rating procedure, an account of instrument development, a report on a usability study with six learners of Finnish as…

Presents the core requirements for teachers of English in Israel, which outline the core knowledge and performance that graduates and practicing teachers should shave mastered. These requirements are divided into five domains, and each of the domains includes standards. Both knowledge and performance benchmarks are defined for each standard.…

Benchmarking, associated with quality management philosophy currently common in higher education institutions, identifies processes considered to be the standard to emulate. A benchmark student administrative services area represents the best related processes brought together in one institution. A benchmark institution is described. It is argued…

Benchmarking is an ongoing, systematic process for measuring and comparing work processes of one organization to those of another to identify best practices. Higher education can gain much from this technique, as industry has. The method is objective, reduces resistance to change and can lead to dramatic innovation and rapid development. (MSE)

This study evaluated the admissions process for a Master's in Business Administration Program using such quality improvement techniques as customer surveys, benchmarking, and gap analysis. Analysis revealed that student dissatisfaction with the admissions process may be a factor influencing declining enrollment. Cycle time and number of student…

Developed the Postgraduate Research Experience Questionnaire (PREQ) to measure the extent to which Australian Ph.D. and postgraduate students are satisfied with their research supervision. Evaluated the usefulness of these student evaluations for benchmarking across universities and disciplines. Found that the evaluations did not vary…

With the re-election of George W. Bush and the appointment of Margaret Spellings as his new secretary of education, many are wondering whether now is the time to revisit No Child Left Behind (NCLB). The historic law, passed by Congress with broad, bipartisan support and signed by the President in January of 2002, introduced significant new systems…

Since 2000, the only serious attempt to mobilise new resources for education has been the World Bank's co-ordinated "Fast Track Initiative (FTI)." However, the FTI only raises funds for achieving universal completion of primary school and it does not address early childhood education or adult literacy. To date the Global Campaign for Education has…