This is the third paper on the topic of outcomes-based funding written by Dennis Jones for Complete College America. The first paper, "Performance Funding: From Idea to Action" (ED535356), proposed a set of design and implementation principles to help states develop and implement their own outcomes-based funding models. The second paper,…

Difficulties in paying for college and in maintaining good academic performance are two major hurdles to college graduation for low-income students. In recent years, state and federal budgets for postsecondary education have been cut significantly, limiting the options policymakers, education leaders, and communities have to improve rates of…

The charter school concept was first introduced in 1991 when the Minnesota Legislature passed the nation's first charter school law. As of this writing in 2009, 40 states and the District of Columbia have charter school legislation. While the specific characteristics and nuances of these laws vary from state to state, almost every state law…

It is a difficult time for policymakers, business leaders, and education leaders to think about ways to increase the numbers of students graduating from high school prepared for college and the work force when their focus is on reducing budgets. But now is the best time to plan for the future. Now is the time to explore programs that may bear…

Hartford, Connecticut, hired Education Alternatives, Inc. (EAI), to help run the schools. EAI's key responsibility will be to help the school board implement their strategic plan for high and clear performance standards, improved assessment methods, more and better staff training, a decentralization of authority, and increased use of technology.…

Public school districts signing on with private companies to provide services need to set up contracts with performance standards. Provides seven general advice tips about what to include in contracts and case studies of what three school districts have done in setting up contracts with private companies. (MLF)

This report offers constructive comments on several of the innovative management tools implemented by the Wisconsin Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. Issues addressed with respect to the agency's service resource allocation formula include (1) strengths of the formula; (2) whether the allocation formula is intended to create performance…

Public schools that contract with someone outside to offer an instructional program need to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) to potential providers. This document details the type of service desired and invites individuals or companies to submit bids or proposals for consideration. Explains the key components of an RFP. (MLF)

This document is the first volume of a two-volume resource guide to help states and localities take advantage of new Federal initiatives to increase services to youth under the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA). It summarizes the performance management principles and options available to program administrators identified in discussion papers…

This document comprises the second volume of a two-volume resource guide to help states and localities take advantage of new Federal initiatives to increase services to youth under the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA). This volume comprises the discussion papers that formed the basis for the options summarized in the first volume. The papers…

Presents an analysis of various compensation and incentive options for staffing educational programs with high-quality teachers, particularly at racially isolated schools. Questions the efficacy of merit pay policies and suggests that non-pecuniary benefits such as improved working conditions and more opportunity for advancement are as important…

A Contractual Education Task Force was created by the Chancellor's Office of the California Community Colleges to study contractual education in the state's community colleges. All districts and colleges were surveyed regarding contractual education services offered between July 1982 and June 1985. Study findings, based on responses from 67…

An overview is provided of community college involvement in providing job training for industry on a contract basis. Part 1 provides background on the changing role of community colleges and the introduction of contract training as a means of addressing the growing need of organizations to train and retrain staff. Part 2 offers a national…

Widely endorsed national reports on educational reform have proposed career ladders and merit pay to raise the quality of the teaching force, and hence contribute to educational excellence. This report contends that careful analysis of proposed changes of teacher reward systems has been omitted. The issues requiring attention involve incentive…

In order to achieve the expectations for children's learning stipulated by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, greater attention needs to be given to child care policy and funding. This report details a study examining strategies in seven states that have integrated early education program standards in child care, by directly tying standards to…