Through Target 4.7 of SDG4 on 'quality education', Agenda 2030 invites governments to take ownership of progress towards ensuring 'Education for Sustainable Development' (ESD) becomes embedded into all levels of education. However, conceptual analysis suggests an ongoing blindspot related to the significance of systems literacy in fostering the…

How can we dramatically increase the number of low income young people who graduate high school and earn a postsecondary credential by age 25? One strategy that reaches beyond traditional education boundaries is gaining traction: broad regional partnerships that bring together K-12 school districts and higher education with workforce development,…

In this paper, we look at the inner workings of a school district through the lens of the "district operating system (DOS)," a set of interlocking mutually-reinforcing modules that includes functions like procurement, contracting, data and IT policy, the general counsel's office, human resources, and the systems for employee and family…

Every sector of the U.S. economy is working on ways to deliver services in a more customized manner. If all goes well, education is headed in the same direction. Personalized learning and globally benchmarked academic standards (a.k.a. Common Core) are the focus of most major school districts and charter school networks. Educators and parents know…

This report, presented to the Cincinnati Area Commission on Education, concludes a study which tested the hypothesis that all Catholic schools in the inner city area of Cincinnati, Ohio should be invited to form a special mini-system under the direct supervision of the Archdiocesan Superintendent of schools. The hypothesis was intended to answer…

This study examined the general nature of school-based student assessment in a small sample (five elementary and three middle schools and one high school). It relies on descriptive analyses and the presentation of data obtained during site visits. The schools have been separated into those with well-developed student assessment systems and those…

The Legislative Office of Education Oversight (LOEO) assessed the planning and implementation of Ohios Education Management Information System (EMIS). The EMIS was mandated in 1989 as a provision of one of the most comprehensive educational reform bills ever passed in Ohio. The EMIS was developed based on an existing computer network, the Ohio…

This paper provides an analysis of approaches to quality assurance and of the management of quality in general management literature and considers its application to public education systems. Key components of a fully integrated approach to quality assurance and quality management for school systems are listed. (SLD)

A triad of conceptual, human relations, and technical domains is proposed as a basis for effective performance evaluation systems in education. Systems incorporating the relevant issues in this triad address a fundamental rule of performance evaluation: if it is worth doing, it is worth doing well. (SLD)

Advises careful analysis and improvement of existing school district accounting systems prior to investment in new ones. Emphasizes the importance of attracting and maintaining quality financial staffs, developing an accounting policies and procedures manual, and designing a good core accounting system before purchasing computer hardware and…

It is argued that the basic means-ends analysis of systemic educational policy may be mistaken in the current national context. The author agrees with the basic premises of systemic educational policy but thinks that a mandatory system of strong instructional guidance from the state has basic problems, as discussed. (SLD)

A conceptualization of educational indicator systems is presented, and their guiding principles and criteria are outlined. Three developmental projects are described that represent the indicator systems that promise to provide an explanatory framework for education. An indicator system should be perceived as an integrated whole in which the…

The Educational Quality Indicators (EQI) initiative, a collaboration between Alberta Education and 12 school jurisdictions in the province, is described, and its implications are discussed. The EQIs developed are designed to provide information to assist practitioners in assessing the quality of educational programs and the delivery system by…

Computer-aided facilities management (CAFM) refers to a collection of software used with increasing frequency by facilities managers. The six major CAFM components are discussed with respect to their usefulness and popularity in facilities management applications: (1) computer-aided design; (2) computer-aided engineering; (3) decision support…

An investigation of the potential for computer-based instructional support (CBIS) for classroom support in the province of Alberta, this study identified three major CBIS applications which would relieve the teacher of some of the administrative workload associated with requirements to provide individualized student instruction: (1) accessibility…