Even as the number of students attending college has more than doubled in the past forty years, it is still the case that nearly half of all college students in the United States will not complete their degree within six years. It is clear that much remains to be done toward improving student success. For more than twenty years, Vincent Tinto's…

This guide is designed to help districts and schools evaluate reform efforts related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), including School Improvement Grants. It includes practical, how-to tips for conducting program evaluations, whether one takes a "do-it-yourself" approach or seeks outside assistance to evaluate reform…

"The Complete Guide to Service Learning" is the go-to resource in the fast-growing field of service learning. It is an award-winning treasury of service activities, community service project ideas, quotes, reflections, and resources that can help teachers and youth workers engage young hearts and minds in reaching out and giving back. Author, and…

Consisting of five sections, this paper presents the policy of the British Columbia (Canada) Ministry of Education regarding the organization of educational services for students through provincial curriculum and assessment programs. It also provides guidance to school and district personnel as they carry out their responsibilities to interpret…

An overview is provided of the development of a program review process and instrument, and the subsequent validation of the process on three programs at Delgado Community College (DCC) in Louisiana. First, introductory material describes DCC's commitment to the development of a program review process as a means of enabling the college to respond…

This handbook is intended as a resource for schools and districts interested in developing and implementing a standards-based assessment system. The chapters in the handbook introduce key steps in the assessment development process. Several types of on-demand and cumulative assessments are emphasized, including multiple-choice and written-response…

General education is the core of the undergraduate experience. It provides a lasting foundation for students' future academic, civil, cultural, economic, and social lives. Additionally, as part of most general education curricula, general education as well as first-year experience programs are becoming virtually universal in colleges and…

The paper examines varieties of program assessment in institutions of higher education and proposes a procedure to implement systematic assessment of program outcomes. Presented in a question-and-answer format, the paper first addresses common faculty concerns about formal assessment in sections titled, "Why Not Use GPA (Grade Point Average)?" and…

Assessment in higher education is shifting from the state house to the college campus. Information is provided to help campus administrators make the best decision regarding their institutions. A general perspective is offered to senior administrators with little previous experience in systematic assessment. Section I, "Assessment: What Is It…

This "toolkit" is intended to provide educators, administrators, and family members with an overview of assessment accommodations and modifications for students with disabilities and to be used as a staff development tool. The toolkit is organized into five parts. An introductory section provides an overview of the toolkit. A 15-minute videotape…

This report examines the extent to which individuals with disabilities are involved in national and state data collection programs that play a pivotal role in reform efforts focusing on measurement of educational indicators. Thirty national data collection programs were identified and 9 of the 30 are reviewed. The extent to which students with…

Middle level schools have special needs because of the characteristics of the age group served. Staff development is crucial for middle schools. Its purposes and major planning components are presented in this paper. Most mid-level educators were prepared for elementary or high school teaching and have a limited knowledge of early adolescent…

On October 20, 1994, President Clinton signed into law the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994. This statute contains amendments to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, including the reauthorization of Chapter 1, as the newly entitled Title I. The reauthorized Title I drastically restructures the direction of former remedial…

Long-range planning is becoming increasingly important for educators in today's rapidly changing society. This bulletin accordingly presents a step-by-step model for school districts to use in developing and successfully implementing a long-range plan. Chapter 1 introduces long-range planning and suggests ways of getting district personnel…

This guide is intended to help school districts and individual schools design and implement outcomes-based accountability systems that include students with disabilities. Part 1 provides an overview of issues that must be considered in developing such a system. Part 2 suggests implementation options and strategies and likely implications of these…