Career and technical education (CTE) programs of study are subject to rigorous state and federal accountability systems that provide information on key student outcomes. However, while these outcome measures can form a basis for identifying high- and low-performing programs, they are insufficient for answering underlying questions about how or why…

Evaluating the outcomes achieved by service providers who assist people with intellectual disabilities is extremely important in terms of ascertaining whether service providers achieve their goals. Furthermore, knowledge of the outcomes achieved by service providers better equips those charged with managing them to make strategic decisions to…

Preparing future citizens for postsecondary education and careers that span a continuum of sophistication is not a new topic in education. However, the rapid changes in technology and increased competition from industrialized nations have changed the landscape and meaning of college and career readiness. As part of a strategy to better prepare…

This report, one of six state-of-the-field reports, explores the connection between learning-focused leadership and leadership assessment as it contributes to coherent leadership assessment systems. The report outlines the function and implication of leadership assessment in national, state and local contexts. The report clarifies the purposes and…

This overview provides a synthesis of a comprehensive survey of school finance programs in the 50 states conducted in 2006-07. Information was provided by chief state school finance officers or persons with expertise in a state's public school funding-allocation system. Brief descriptions of the major Pre-K-12 funding formulae, district-based…

The intention of this article is to illustrate how assessment is an "emotional practice" (Hargreaves, 1998) for teachers and how paying attention to the emotions involved can provide useful information about assessment practices to teachers, teacher-educators and policy-reformers. Through presenting a review of research literature it makes three…

This article presents a historical review of mathematics education since the late 1950s in the United States. Three themes are used to organize the literature reviewed in the article: (a) broad sociopolitical forces, particularly highly publicized educational policy statements; (b) trends in mathematics research; and (c) theories of learning and…

This report details the Annie E. Casey Foundation's four-year effort to develop a "results-based accountability" (RBA) approach to its K-12 education portfolio. Though still a work in progress, the Foundation's experience with RBA can help other philanthropic organizations and individual donors develop their own approaches to producing and…

This report addresses the core challenges faced by leaders in the current context of high expectations and accountability, often accompanied by inconsistent or limited support. The report assumes the leadership role is based on a commitment to lead for learning; that is, to pursue a learning improvement agenda for the students in the school, the…

In 2006, Educational Testing Service (ETS) made a commitment to the higher education community to provide information that would help inform the national dialogue on accountability in higher education. This report "A Culture of Evidence: Critical Features of Assessments for Postsecondary Student Learning" (also referred to as "COE…

Presents information on M.E.A.S.U.R.E., a process that assists school counselors in delivering a data-driven school counseling program. Highlights challenges faced by school counselors in an accountability-driven environment and provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act. (Contains 10 references and 6 tables.) (GCP)

The title of this document is a deliberate play on the title of the biennial reports on the progress of Bologna produced by the European Students' Union, "Bologna With Student Eyes." It is a way of paying tribute to student involvement in the Bologna reforms, and marking a parallel student working participation in the state system…

Three years ago, the United States made a commitment that no child would be left behind. The 2004 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Long-Term Trends in Academic Progress, also known as the Nation's Report Card, has been administered using the same exact test in reading and mathematics for over 30 years. The 2004 Report Card is…

A more balanced approach to learning is proposed which incorporates a system of control that does not impinge upon the freedom of students. The stewardship principle embodies elements of both freedom and control while possessing as its base the free exercise of responsibility. (JN)

The implementation of corrective action to improve low-performing schools and school districts has varied across the nation from verbal reprimands to state and private takeover. Currently, 34 states have formal plans for corrective action. Although little evaluation of the effectiveness of these actions on improving student and school performance…