This report by Paul Woodgates explores change initiatives in higher education institutions, considering why they are needed and why they are difficult to deliver. He outlines how universities should carefully design change projects to maximise impact and likelihood of success.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many undergraduate internships, including the National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) programs, were canceled or moved online. Although several studies have examined student success during the online transition, less research has examined how REU programs have changed from this…

Performance funding--the linking of allocation of resources to accomplishment of certain desired outcomes--is an idea that is once again finding favor with policymakers. It has intuitive appeal; what's not to like about paying for results? While it is a notion that makes common sense to most decisionmakers, it is an idea with a very checkered…

Given the current economic constraints facing the country, school districts in the U.S. have been pushed to develop annual budgets through a new lens and to accept the reality that budget adoption is a complex, political process. Whether a school district is rich or poor, growing or declining in enrollment, serving a specialized population or…

"The First-Year Seminar: Designing, Implementing, and Assessing Courses to Support Student Learning and Success," a five-volume series, is designed to assist educators who are interested in launching a firstyear seminar or revamping an existing program. Each volume examines a different aspect of first-year seminar design or…

This guide is designed to help districts and schools evaluate reform efforts related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), including School Improvement Grants. It includes practical, how-to tips for conducting program evaluations, whether one takes a "do-it-yourself" approach or seeks outside assistance to evaluate reform…

Professional development that improves teaching and student learning meets research-based standards to ensure high-quality educator learning experiences. Since the quality of professional learning affects its results, many states, districts, and schools want to measure the effectiveness of their professional development to make targeted…

Background questions to support a federally-sponsored assessment of major student aid delivery system options are addressed. Attention is directed to: (1) information needed by the U.S. Secretary of Education to decide about changes to the delivery system; (2) reasons that delivery system redesign is a critical issue; (3) what can be learned from…

This paper examines how states have responded to the planning, evaluation, and parent participation components of compensatory education programs to promote reform at the local level. Particular attention is given to the interaction between state political culture, legislative requirements, and state education agency leadership style, and their…

This publication presents a set of eight recommended reforms and improvements for delivering financial aid to postsecondary students especially the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP). The recommendations are: (1) make applying for student aid simpler for students; (2) assure the continued availability of a dependable, reliable source of…

A survey of 385 higher education institutions, public and private, investigated the state of enrollment management operations, including their organizational composition, reporting structure, reasons for reconfiguration, and results of implementation. Findings indicated different reporting structures in private and public colleges. Motivation for…

The Response to Educational Needs Project (RENP, formerly the Anacostia Community School Project) provides an opportunity to study the adoption, implementation, and institutionalization of plans for improvement of a group of schools in the District of Columbia. The related theory and research on the implementation of change in organizations is…

This guide, which is intended for planners, administrators, and staff involved in state and local welfare reform efforts, summarizes information about the "work first" approach to welfare reform that was gained from comprehensive evaluations of work first programs and discussions with program managers, practitioners, and participants.…

One of a set of twelve documents describing the Career Planning Support System (CPSS) and its use, this guide is designed to help the CPSS coordinator become familiar with CPSS and his or her role. (The Career Planning Support System is a comprehensive guidance program management system which (1) provides techniques to improve a high school's…

The following three major issues should be addressed during the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) reauthorization debate: program objectives, program effectiveness, and CETA's reliability as a delivery system. Suggested as a tool to reduce unemployment, reduce inflation, reduce welfare dependency, and provide fiscal relief to state…