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…

This document is a compilation of the proceedings of the 23rd Annual State California Conference on Educational Research. The theme of the proceedings centered around accountability and curriculum. Each participant submitted his remarks on specially designed paper; each page was photographed and prepared without editing. The three general sessions…

The merits and methods of providing feedback to students and student organizations to improve performance are outlined. The methods include behavior contracts, self-disclosure, individual vs. group feedback, opinion polls, and positive reinforcement. (MSE)

This monograph, prepared to assist Georgia elementary principals to better understand accountability and its implications for educational improvement, sets forth many of the theoretical and philosophical bases from which accountability is being considered. Leon M. Lessinger begins this 5-paper presentation by describing the need for accountability…

This paper describes a planning cost model for estimating the comparable replication cost of an educational program for use in evaluating alternative programs and planning future programs. The conceptual and methodological bases of cost analysis are explored and the shortcomings of present methods for comparison and evaluation of educational…

The concept of growth contracting in higher education and the applications and limitations of growth plans are examined. In addition, critical steps in the process of developing contracts with faculty are identified. A professional growth plan is a binding agreement, which helps faculty and institutional representatives clarify specific goals.…

The survey of potential student interest in the Unified Studies Program began February 3, 1974 and continued through March 11. The program was aimed at undergraduate students who were not formally at Boston State College on a full-time basis. Survey returns covered: (1) potential students; (2) source of participating students; and (3) students…

This summary covers the experiences of the staff of the Unified Studies Program at Boston State College from September 1973 through August 1975. Included is: (1) the planning phase, (2) team building, (3) staff, (4) administrative support, (5) potential students, (6) compromises, (7) funding, (8) use of the learning contracts, () contract hours,…

The contract learning program at Bristol Community College (Fall River Mass.) was developed to offer students of diverse backgrounds an optional method of pursuing their educational goals. This document reviews the history of the program, and proposes an alternate administrative procedure appropriate to learning contracts. The document includes a…

The Carmen Millan School (Puebla, Mexico) was established to meet the high intellectual faculties of gifted students through development of willingness to learn, oral expression, talent, and the ability to plan systematically. Special education teachers act as monitors of learning contracts developed for students during school and during…

Article described a project designed to adapt contract teaching on a multi-level basis to the environment of the smaller high school. (Author/RK)

This speech describes accountability as the matching of intent to results and explains the utility of planning, programing, budgeting systems in implementing an accountability policy in school systems. (JF)

Article describes the use of accountability schemes and their effect on the educational system. (RK)

This report discusses performance contracting as one means of implementing educational accountability. It describes the planning for and main features of the Dallas, Texas, performance contract -- the Guaranteed Student Performance in Education and Training Program that uses a multifaceted approach to remove math, reading, and motivation…