This executive summary highlights research findings regarding the potential for school quality reviews to assess and promote a broader set of outcomes than are currently being measured in most districts and states. These outcomes include a deep understanding of content as well as the ability to use that knowledge to think critically to solve…

The article outlines a programme theory for the Swedish school inspection. The theory has a format of 'if … then … because', whereby the last term states one or more generative mechanisms behind the reactions to inspection, and the former terms imply what the inspectorate does and which reactions it receives. The assumptions of the theory are…

Policy discussions about funding in higher education focus primarily on revenues needed to balance budgets from year to year, rather than on how funds need to be invested to meet strategic priorities. The data in "Trends" show that the incremental approach to fundraising and spending has resulted in a slow disinvestment in core…

This document supplements the advice given in "How good is our school?" (HGIOS)--third edition and "The Child at the Centre"--second edition which set out comprehensive quality frameworks and provide helpful advice on the process of improvement through self-evaluation. In particular, this document provides advice on the…

A playground safety checklist provides an up-to-date play area inspection system based on standards from the American Society for Testing and Materials' F 1487-95 and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's Handbook for Public Playground Safety (1994). Guidelines address "public" playground equipment installed in parks, schools,…

This article uses a policy scientific approach to reconstruct assumptions underlying the Dutch Educational Supervision Act. We show an example of how to reconstruct and evaluate a program theory that is based on legislation of inspection. The assumptions explain how inspection leads to school improvement. Evaluation of these assumptions is used to…

Evaluating schools has become a contentious issue in many countries. There seems to be a broad and growing consensus that some form of evaluation can on the one hand play a significant role in school improvement efforts, and on the other is also required to provide a reasonable level of public accountability appropriate in democratic societies.…

Examines English school inspection before and since 1993 reforms, observations procedures that some schools have adopted, and procedures of various colleges. The balance of accountability and support for improvement varies depending on the details and culture of inspection. In the United States, some experiments with inspection are occurring, and…

This document consists of three separate booklets designed to educate the public and users about the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The 54-page "All about OSHA" is intended to provide a nonexhaustive overview of OSHA services. The following topics are discussed: the need for occupational safety and health…