This semiannual report to Congress by the Office of Inspector General (OIG), U.S. Department of Education, covers the actions of the OIG from October 1, 2002, through March 31, 2003. The report discusses four goals of the President's Management Agenda: (1) improved financial performance: includes information on financial statement audits,…

Examines practical applications for the suitability of two different approaches to quality management within engineering education. One utilizes quality systems standards as typified by a specific industrial process that ensures an effective production system. The other applies the notion of total quality management emphasizing a process of…

Underperformance among physicians is not well studied or defined; yet, the identification and remediation of physicians who are not performing up to acceptable standards is central to quality care and patient safety. Methods for estimating the prevalence of dyscompetence include evaluating available data on medical errors, malpractice claims,…

A framework is presented for understanding how errors arise in institutional research, and principles are suggested to avert errors in work processes of institutional research offices. Error is defined as a product which fails to meet professional standards, has unacceptable process limitations, or is unacceptable to a client. The following four…

The current emphasis in education on accountability is tending toward "push-button accountability." The challenge is to evaluate access and retention as well as other educationally relevant goals to define "quality" or "accountability." In higher education, accountability should be proven through assessment and should consist of proof that what…

Intended as a general blueprint for monitoring and assessing activities under the Youth Employment and Demonstration Projects Act of 1977, this document discusses the expected constraints, evaluation and assessment tools, the analytic framework, and monitoring and review schedule. Five problem areas are recognized as potential constraints in…

This article summarizes how an organization designed and implemented a quality improvement infrastructure and an effective outcomes-based management system. Stages included: assessing the organization's current status and planning for buy-in, initiating data collection, ensuring data integrity, utilizing data in clinical assessment and…

This bulletin provides descriptions of two of the most widely used business and industry quality models--the British Standards Institution system (BS5750) and Total Quality Management (TQM). The focus is on applications of the models in further education colleges. The first section clarifies what the term "quality" means, in general and…

Stage Two of the Title IV Quality Control Project is an evaluation of quality of the United States Department of Education's major student aid programs. The study sought to identify, measure, and analyze error during the 1985-86 academic year in each of the five major Title IV programs, including the Pell Grant program, the Campus-Based programs…

Due to the expansion of cooperative education programs, critical issues facing them were examined. The issues as perceived by cooperative education directors were identified, along with their relative importance as perceived by directors and their immediate supervisors. The study aimed to determine whether differences exist between directors and…

Five areas of an institution's academic self-monitoring need close attention: institutional mission; resource levels; staffing flexibility, selectivity, compensation, and opportunities; academic program status; and the institution's drawing and holding power. (MSE)

In fall 2003, the Head Start Bureau began implementing the Head Start National Reporting System (NRS) to systematically assess the early literacy, language and numeracy skills of all 4- and 5-year-olds enrolled in Head Start. In addition to child progression on a designated set of outcomes during the year preceding kindergarten, the data will…

Suggested strategies for running a more effective college alumni program include effective calendar organization; careful staff utilization; administrator visibility; increased efficiency; effective use of alumni volunteers and student workers; good office communication; broad information dissemination across campus; consistent use of priorities;…

Research Findings: This study was designed to assess whether investments in child care quality were maintained 3 years after public funding for these centers was significantly reduced. An earlier evaluation documented significant improvements in classroom environments, teachers' sensitivity, and teachers' child-centered beliefs following a…

152 elementary students age ranged from 8 to 11 were studied on their affective and social domains in a school with an inclusive policy in Hong Kong. Five questionnaires from the Assessment Program for Affective and Social Outcomes (APASO) [EMB (2001) Manual for Assessment Program for Affective and Social Outcomes. "Quality Assurance…