A response is made to a special report "An Assessment of the Michigan Accountability Program" prepared by a committee composed of Drs. Ernest House, Wendell Rivers, and Daniel Stufflebeam under contract with the Michigan Education Association (MEA) and the National Education Association (NEA). The three-men panel was to evaluate the…

The purpose of this paper is to argue that the measurement of child outcomes is the major stumbling block in estimating the extent to which equality of opportunity exists for children in our nation's schools. This paper has three parts. The introduction discusses the concept of equal educational opportunity, as defined and then redefined over the…

This study, based on research by UNESCO's International Institute for Educational Planning, deals with a prime contemporary problem, that of how to provide better education to more people in the face of tightening budgets, escalating costs, and educational conservatism. The authors contend that the imaginative use of cost analysis can be a…

A major theme of this volume is the issue of library accountability and evaluation of productivity. Four review papers deal directly with the topic. The first reviews the literature relating to evaluation of libraries generally with an emphasis on school libraries. The second focuses on the measurement of productivity in the academic library. It…

Describes the most pressing issues in early childhood education during the past two decades; indicates whether each issue has been settled; and outlines new issues for the present. (Author/BB)

With student outcomes assessment, institutions can refocus priorities so that educational quality is based on what and how much students learn. Value-added/talent development and outcomes measures, and models of student outcomes assessment (program improvement, gatekeeping functions, and budget decisions and accountability) are discussed. (MLW)

Presents a study of cost analysis of the Frederick County Public Schools (Maryland) special education programs and services. The Larson IPSEC Model was used as the basis for the cost analysis. The modified Larson model provides a valuable tool to determine the per pupil cost of special education. (Author/MD)

Describes two types of program budgeting that were well received in the literature of the 1960s and 1970s. The results of a survey which examined the impact of zero-based budgeting (ZBB) and planning-programming-budgeting system (PPBS) on library budgets are presented, and potentially useful aspects of program budgeting are identified. (CLB)

If institutional accountability shifts from compliance with state rules to demonstration of progress, both policy and institutional interests may be better served. The legislature or governor is the most likely source of pressure to develop outcome measures, but results will not occur until accountability reaches the faculty level. (MSE)

Reports findings of a study conducted at a midwestern university to determine whether a battery of basic skills tests would accurately predict student success in professional education courses. Concludes that test performance was consistent with the general grade point average throughout the college. (FL)

This report presents an analysis of the University's evaluation of its Academic Preparation and Educational Partnership Programs. Three recommendations are made for strengthening the evaluation processes in the future: (1) For academic preparation programs that have scholastic selection criteria, it is recommended that the University strengthen…

The Public Law Research Institute at the University of California Hastings College of the Law, with whom the California Postsecondary Education Commission (CPEC) forged a partnership to research, analyze, and make sound recommendations regarding an accountability structure, provides an excellent opportunity for CPEC regarding federal and state…

There is plentiful discussion about the importance of accountability, but much needs to be done to translate it into a manageable and credible system of ongoing feedback. In this book, evaluative inquiry is used in a way that balances attention between the investigation process and its purpose. The book is divided into three parts. Following an…

Over the past decade, the standards-based reform movement in education has focused attention on the responsibility of schools and school systems to produce results in student learning. Nationally this focus is most evident with the implementation of accountability provisions of the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001. However, even…

Following the proposal of the Chancellor of the California Community to shift from attendance-based funding to performance-based funding, Palomar College (California) has articulated its intention to judge its quality and formulate its policies primarily on learning outcomes. Out of this imperative, the Assessment of Learning Project (ALP) was…