Premature application of quantitative indicators formerly used for individual assessment and research to bureaucratic decision making can produce side effects that are dysfunctional in nature. In order to illustrate this phenomenon, the author reviews a general literature and utilizes examples form mental health care. (Author/BW)

Participatory decision making seems to be the new development paradigm in international cooperation. It is still a long way, however, to achieve the objectives that are formulated by the international development actors. Non-state actors are only limitedly involved in the policy decision-making. In this paper, we argue that when these actors take…

An examination was made of Federal program statistics on vocational education during the past 10 years by the Bureau of Occupational and Adult Education of the U. S. Office of Education and the National Center for Education Statistics of the U. S. Department of Education. The study found that despite a mandate for reform, the National Center's…

By demystifying traditional rational accounting perspectives, the work of Ginsberg (TM 508 964) offers a basis to develop notions of accountability in relation to meaningful work processes. (BW)

It is no longer just students who are moving across borders to study. Program and institutions/providers are delivering foreign education programs and qualifications to students in their own countries. A whole new world of international academic mobility is opening up. This article looks at the concepts of cross-border, transnational, and…

In support of Ginsberg's theory (TM 508 964), a third corollary to the Conservation of Discretion Law is proposed: Where possible, the worker will use a statistic not as a statistic but, rather, as an instrument to reduce the workload. Three illustrations are presented: grade point averages, crime rates, and recidivism rates. (BW)

Five years of state test results for Pennsylvania are examined, focusing on differences among elementary schools in which a majority of students do not master basic learning skills. Data are provided for 1,505 elementary schools in about 500 districts. The largest learning problems occur in about 10% of the schools; these schools have been…

The function of a statistical map is to provide readers with a visual impression of the data so that they may be able to identify any geographic characteristics of the displayed phenomena. The increasingly important role played by the computer in the production of statistical maps is manifested by the varied examples of computer maps in recent…

The article reviews the ways in which norm-referenced developmental age (DA) and developmental quotient (DQ) evaluation data are currently reported in preschool early intervention program evaluation studies. The concept of intervention DQ in contrast with pretest DQ is proposed as a more meaningful way to report evaluation data. (Author/DB)

Federal statistical programs are important for monitoring both the need for the impact of public programs, including those for handicapped children. The federal statistical system has suffered from overall budgetary cutbacks, and from several decisions to eliminate statistical programs. (Author/CL)

This study examines and describes current statistical programs in the field of library and information science, identifies areas of the National Commission's program that are dependent on quantitative data, compares the current statistical programs with projected new needs, and specifies areas that must be developed in a future national…

The use of statistics on grades as a criteria for accountability is limiting and misleading. Alternative indicators of school performance are suggested, including the Scottish Education Data Archive. (JMF)

Teacher shortages, like the one schools face today, are not new. Periodically over the last 50 years there were fewer teachers available than were needed, and the response was primarily to step up recruitment efforts and issue temporary teaching credentials to those without qualifications. Three things are new however: (1) The requirement that…

Six articles discuss the 1987 Economic Censuses: a historical review by Bohme; Worden on the value of economic censuses; Wikoff and Powell-Hill on planning the questionnaire; Blum, Bowman, and Sullivan on changing data needs; Zeisset on the data's availability to users; and Schlueter, Ray, and Hartz on international economic statistics. (EM)

Based on interviews with OCLC staff, network directors, and librarians in member libraries, and related literature review, it is recommended that OCLC take steps to improve statistics it currently makes available and to consider leadership role in helping libraries use microcomputer technology to provide statistics for library management. (27…