California community colleges are experiencing unprecedented levels of sanctions from their accrediting agency. A survey of planners in these colleges reveals a wide gap between current practice and perceived importance of integrated planning practices, as well as misalignment in budgeting methods. Statistically significant gaps were identified…

For decades, performance-based budgeting has been applied to evaluate the degree to which government programs and agencies are meeting their stated goals in a cost-efficient manner. The same thinking is applied to public education. In today's times of tight budgets and higher expectations, public schools are being asked to justify their budgets…

Federal officials plan to overhaul the reporting requirements for higher education-based teacher preparation in favor of leaner, outcome-based indicators of program quality, according to plans outlined in the president's fiscal 2012 budget request. To bolster the overhaul, the budget also proposes a $185 million new formula grant program, dubbed…

Presents a dramatic scenario involving a legislative budget committee hearing to illustrate the often conflicting demands for program accountability and student development confronting student services departments at colleges and universities. (Author/NB)

Zero-based budgeting (ZBB) refers to a system whereby the entire nursing program is reevaluated yearly and justification for all programs and expenditures must be made. ZBB is compared to the governmental sunset law. (JOW)

The assumptions and the expectations of the budgeting systems in higher education are presented in an attempt to clarify the magnitude of the task of setting up a budgetary methodology. The assumptions of effective budgeting should be identical to the purposes of the institutions that are served. Developing a system around the acquisition,…

Four closely related cost analysis skills for MSW-level practice are discussed. The appropriateness for social work practice, limitations as planning and administrative tools, models of the tool, and their orientation to practical use are discussed for each skill. (Author/BH)

Describes two types of program budgeting that were well received in the literature of the 1960s and 1970s. The results of a survey which examined the impact of zero-based budgeting (ZBB) and planning-programming-budgeting system (PPBS) on library budgets are presented, and potentially useful aspects of program budgeting are identified. (CLB)

A management data base is seen as essential for a management information system, program budgeting, program costing, management by objectives, program evaluation, productivity measures, and accountability in institutions of higher education. The necessity of a management data base is addressed, along with the benefits and limitations it may have…

The case studies of performance budgeting for higher education by Hawaii and Washington illustrate the issues and obstacles involved in new approaches to accountability. Issues covered: development of performance measures, aggregation and analysis, quantitative v qualitative measures, performance measures and responsibility accounting, and…