The Region 5 Comprehensive Center (R5CC) developed the Education Agency State of Readiness Assessment Tool to assess the readiness of State education agencies (SEA) to take on capacity-building projects. The indicators are adapted from the NECTAC Technical Assistance Model for Long-Term Systems Change and are based on years of developing and…

State and local report cards help ensure local educational agencies (LEAs), parents, families, educators, and communities have critical data and a common framework for gauging educational progress and success. Title I, Part A (Title I) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) requires States to annually share this important…

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) directs states to create report cards that are easy for parents and the public to access and understand. Additionally, states are required to provide more school-level data than ever before by highlighting multiple indicators of student performance, funding, teacher quality, post-secondary success, and more…

This workbook guides a team in reviewing, revising, or replacing an existing professional learning system. The process outlined and the tools included support the team in conducting all aspects of its work, usually done over several months, with continuous progress monitoring and input from research, experts, and constituents. The workbook is…

This guidance is written to assist State educational agencies (SEAs) and local educational agencies (LEAs) in understanding and implementing the report card requirements under Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA). Although each SEA and LEA may consider this guidance in developing and…

State educational accountability models are in transition. Whether modifying the present accountability system to comply with existing state and federal requirements or anticipating new ones--such as the U.S. Department of Education's (ED) Race to the Top competition--recording the experiences of state education agencies (SEAs) that are currently…

The purpose of this guide is to help chronically struggling schools restructure. "Restructuring" means major, rapid changes that affect how a school is led and how instruction is delivered. Restructuring is essential in achieving rapid improvements in student learning. The focus is on helping education leaders choose strategies that…

Policy statements of the Association of Departments of Foreign Languages are presented for administration of foreign language departments; use of outside reviewers; and statement of good practice: teaching, evaluation, and scholarship.(LB)

How academic programs might go about making evaluation more useful, thus making critical reflection more likely, is the central purpose of this book. The chapters are: (1) "The Concept of Academic Quality"; (2) "Motivation for Quality Work"; (3) "Evaluating Quality in Academic Programs"; (4) "Creating the Engaged Department"; (5) "Negotiating…

Considers that ever since distance learning technology has enabled colleges and universities to offer courses to students who might otherwise not be able to earn college credit, resistance has emerged on pedagogical or fiscal grounds. Notes that most students in distance learning composition classes indicate that they would participate in such a…

Offers guidelines that specify the kinds of information that will assist faculties in identifying and rectifying problems in their graduate programs. Directs attention to eight areas: department goals; graduate admissions; retention and attrition of students; financial support for students; preparing students for careers within and outside the…

Evaluation practice within state education agencies (SEAs) is reviewed from a management consultant's perspective. The study is based upon a review of literature, discussions with the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory Research on Evaluation Program, and visits to SEAs in California, Montana and Washington. The main findings of the study…

This document presents three different views of accountability to address state needs as their departments of education design, improve, or review their state accountability and reporting systems. The first of three sections presents the system-design decision process as a linear sequence of ten steps from defining the purposes of the…

Discusses departmental program reviews and evaluations in terms of the growing body of information on quality assessment application. Suggests five essential operational and substantive characteristics for inclusion in a departmental handbook. (KEH)

A framework for strategic planning within academic departments is outlined. Elements include analyzing the strategic situation of all constituencies (department, institution, competitors, students, student employers), development of mission statement and departmental objectives, development of strategic market-target and curriculum options,…