Continuous improvement has a prominent place in California's approach to educational accountability. But while there are proof points that show the potential of continuous improvement, currently there is not evidence that continuous improvement efforts are consistently leading to sustainable improvement in student outcomes and system functioning.…

With the majority of "good jobs" that pay a family-sustaining wage requiring at least some college education -- such as a technical certificate, associate degree, bachelor's degree or another credential of value -- ensuring the existence of high-quality postsecondary CTE [Career Technical Education] programs and programs of study is more…

This study focused on a postsecondary organization in California, which has embarked on a groundbreaking, highly interactive online Master of Arts in Teaching Program. This program provides students with the flexibility and ability to not only share and interact with peers from across the nation but also work with a diverse group of instructors.…

Performance-based scholarships were developed to help tackle some of the financial obstacles facing students in the postsecondary education system. In general, these scholarships aim to help reduce the financial burdens of low-income college students, and are structured to help incentivize good academic progress. Performance-based scholarships…

Career and technical education (CTE) is increasingly seen as a major potential contributor to the recovery of the U.S. economy. However, the effectiveness and impact of the current Carl D. Perkins Act (otherwise known as Perkins IV) that governs CTE are unclear. Is the federal investment in CTE paying off? To answer this, we need to establish the…

In response to teacher shortages around the country, the number of virtual personnel preparation programs has grown dramatically over the past few years. Many of these programs have been created in order to assist in the preparation of special education professionals in a variety of specializations, including high incidence disabilities (e.g.,…

Career academies, after more than four decades of development and three decades of evaluation, have been found by a conclusive random assignment study to be effective in improving outcomes for students during and after high school. Career academies have therefore become the most durable and best-tested component of a high school reform strategy to…

Although each public higher education system in California has a unique mission and social purpose, the systems are united in a most common and fundamental way: each aims to enhance the intellectual, technical, and creative capacity of its student learners. Because advanced knowledge--scientific, technical, and procedural--tends to be organized by…

The flowcharts and computer programs prepared for use in conjunction with the Procedures Manual for the Student Accountability Model (see JC 740 394) are presented. The programs provide an illustration of how one district applied the flowchart to its own hardware capabilities. The flowcharts are: Assign Course Priority, Assign Student Major,…

A system for conducting formal needs assessment for vocational education in California community colleges was developed and field tested. Utilizing seven questionnaires, the following groups, who were seen as possessing information that was essential to a formal needs assessment, were surveyed: residents of the community, employers, current…

To assess the merit of vocational education programs receiving federal funds, and to identify existing problems, the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare ordered the review of programs in four states: California, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Contained in this document are the findings, conclusions, and recommendations resulting from…

For nearly 20 years, the California Postsecondary Education Commission has been actively involved in the development of a strong and vigorous private postsecondary and vocational education presence in California. The private postsecondary sector serves some 412,000 students seeking an education beyond high school. Following a period in the early…

Changes during the last year in legislation, policies, and procedures that affect the operations and quality of California's private colleges are described. Accredited in-state and out-of-state colleges, approved colleges, and authorized colleges are covered. Colleges can substitute periodic peer review through an accrediting agency for review by…

This paper provides an overview of some of the issues involved in developing and implementing vocational education effectiveness indicators and systems. The paper first discusses educational effectiveness indicator systems--with the emphasis on "systems" in contrast to individual effectiveness indicators taken alone--and stresses the…

Seventy-eight federally funded California vocational education projects were evaluated to provide information on which to base plans for future research and exemplary program policies and procedures in vocational education. Objectives of the evaluation were to (1) provide information for future planning of administration of funds; (2) determine if…