Because funding for many higher education institutions is based on student persistence and graduation rates, and because competition for online student enrollments is fierce among public and private institutions, quality and competitiveness in online course development, instruction, and administration is imperative. Additionally, because distance…

This article explores the application of Whitaker, King, and Vogel's (2004) best practices for the implementation of partnerships regarding school leadership preparation programs in 3 school district-university collaboratives located in urban settings with large minority student populations. The 3 partnerships studied include the Nashville…

Evaluability assessment is a diagnostic and prescriptive technique that can be used to determine the extent to which different problems inhibit program evaluation. It involves policymakers, managers, and staff in developing program theory, clarifying intended uses of evaluation information, and planning further evaluations that would stimulate…

Recently, a model was developed for use in gathering data and making evaluations in a systematic manner. The purpose of this study was to adapt the model for evaluation of the graduates of the teacher preparation program of Tennessee Technological University. A sample of 59 graduates of the teacher preparation program of the university, who were…

An evaluation system which would describe and assess statewide services for preschool children is described. Component theory conceptualizes the unit of analysis for evaluation as the component. This approach increases the generalizability and utilization of evaluations and enhances the ability to evaluate several programs at the state level.…

Plans for the field-testing and implementation of the Accreditation Plus Model (APM) for evaluation of teacher preparation programs are described. Field-testing is taking place in the Center for Teacher Education Evaluation at Tennessee Technological University (Cookeville). The APM is based on the professional judgment approach to program…

An objective of the Center for Teacher Education Evaluation (CTEE) at Tennessee Technological University (Cookeville) has been to create an evaluation model for teacher education to provide guidance for institutes of higher education. The model selected is the Accreditation Plus Model (APM). Steps covered in the model (or, steps an institution…

This document, which highlights the efforts of the National Institute for Literacy to pilot the development of state literacy accountability systems in four states, outlines the components, operation, and importance of state accountability systems and discusses considerations in developing a systems approach to planning and implementing a quality…

A statewide career education needs assessment was done in Tennessee by surveying all superintendents and samples of principals, teachers, and community leaders. State employment security data and Career Maturity Inventory (CMI) scores for a sample of the state's ninth graders were secondary information sources. The primary conclusion was that the…

Quality Rating Systems (QRS) are currently operating, under development, or being piloted in over 25 states or local areas. As the QRS model becomes integrated into the landscape of child care and education service delivery, policy, and the decisions parents make about child care across the United States, there is an increasing need for…

A report is presented on an outreach project that assisted in the development and implementation of early intervention programs, special education, and related services for children with disabilities (ages birth to five). The Magnolia Circle Outreach Project disseminated and helped replicate a "best practices" model to improve the…

The "State Teacher Policy Yearbook" examines what is arguably the single most powerful authority over the teaching profession: state government. This Tennessee edition of the National Council on Teacher Quality's (NCTQ's) "State Teacher Policy Yearbook" is the first of what will be an annual look at the status of state policies…

This report contains comparative information that has been systematically secured through the evaluation project on secondary vocational education in Tennessee. It presents data that were collected, recorded, and reported from three program review and evaluation instruments for administration, vocational-technical instructional programs, and…

In October 1986, the Tennessee State Board of Education adopted nine principles setting forth a framework for the design of an improved teacher education system in Tennessee and identifying major areas of responsibility for higher education institutions, local school systems, and the state. The principles include: (1) liberal arts preparation; (2)…

This report describes activities and presents products of a three-year project to develop a guidance and placement program in Blount County, Tennessee. Sections 1 and 2 review objectives and personnel of this project to develop vocational awareness programs for elementary students, develop occupational exploratory courses for Grade 9, develop…