The author presents testimony on the value of process indicators--i.e., measures of the services the education system is actually providing--for improving educational governance. He states that the case in favor of process indicators can be summarized in terms of three propositions. First, information about system performance is critical for…

New Jersey's decentralization of governance in public higher education is examined after one year. The discussion looks at the evolution of the change, its goals, the extent to which increased autonomy in institutional governance serves the public interest, and the ways in which the restructuring affects trustees' views and their exercise of…

Discusses the future direction of the Chelsea (Massachusetts) school system following the Boston University/Chelsea partnership for school and educational improvement. It explores the partnership's achievements and Chelsea's future prospects; the principles, disagreements, tensions, and factions that existed during and as a result of the…

Editor-in-chief James Morrison talks with organic education proponent Hugh Osborn at the 2005 World Future Society conference. The current school system in America is inflexible and not conducive to technological innovation; a complete reform of American education, Osborn feels, is required. Osborn calls for a move to organic education, a…

This paper discusses the incongruity among education's multiplicity of conflicting actors, theories, and values that affect curriculum decision-making. This discussion is divided into three major concerns: sociopolitical, professional, and student. Sociopolitical concerns include the impact of peace, war, human sexuality, environment, work and…

The traditional orientation of liberal arts colleges toward teaching continues to make them major contributors to teacher education. The commitment these colleges make to teacher education and the governance structure that helps them devise and carry out effective programs argues strongly for supporting teacher education in liberal arts colleges.…

The beliefs that underpin traditional governance in higher education no longer fit the reality of higher education leadership. Higher education must abandon the quest for the perfect governance structure and attend to the nature of effective governance. Focusing on autonomy and control issues distracts from solving problems of access,…

Five areas of an institution's academic self-monitoring need close attention: institutional mission; resource levels; staffing flexibility, selectivity, compensation, and opportunities; academic program status; and the institution's drawing and holding power. (MSE)

This report examines political conflict in decision making in three public schools, and describes how the Teacher Participation Project (TPP), which was implemented in two of the schools, sought to minimize such conflict by institutionalizing local governance structures for teachers. The report consists of two parts. Part I investigates various…

Within the context of the reauthorization of the Vocational Education Act of 1963, as amended, the predominant issues for vocational education in the eighties will be refined into policies. Central issues related to reauthorization and to the larger picture of the future of vocational education can be generally grouped into four broad categories:…

Higher education governance structures are ineffective and new structures of "prospective governance" are needed for future success. Trends affecting higher education include financial scarcity, lack of government funding juxtaposed with the growing public demand for better services, and the competitive pressures of commercialization and…