Proposes an alternative structure for the accreditation visiting teams of the North Central Association, advocating the organization of teams into five smaller, interdisciplinary units. Describes suggested team activities, benefits for faculty serving on interdisciplinary teams, and suggestions for schools interested in implementing the team…

Describes the planning and implementation of outcomes accreditation at Maine West High School, in Des Plaines, Illinois, from its beginnings in 1988-89 to the present. Indicates that the school discovered that changes in student achievement follow changes in teacher behaviors and that increases in student learning are based on instructional…

Describes the implementation of outcomes accreditation at East Middle School, in Aurora, Colorado. Reports significant gains in student success, including a 68% decline in student tardiness and a 60% decrease in suspensions. Indicates that the school was selected as a state Governor's Challenger School. (MAB)

Presents findings from a study of high school faculty members' perceptions of three North Central Association self-study formats: a conventional, an individualized, and an outcomes-based format. Describes faculty perceptions with respect to the administrative mechanics, ownership, relevance, resulting improvements, and effects of participation for…

Shares suggestions for the school improvement process derived from the experiences of the North Central Association Commission on Schools' efforts to assist member schools with their improvement efforts. Includes topics such as assessment instruments, leadership roles, cooperation among faculty, committees, and peer assistance. (AJL)

Discusses the need for educators to constantly work toward adjusting their educational input through self-study and by examining changes in the world. Describes the processes used by North Central Bible College to instigate change in their educational culture: the development of "end-sought statements," the use of appreciative inquiry,…

Discusses the importance of accreditation in academic self-regulation, and addresses the major issues surrounding it that are also of concern to the general public: keeping higher education available and affordable, striving for inclusive and diverse campuses, and finding more effective ways to assess learning and academic quality. (YKH)

Discusses strategic planning of the University of Wisconsin-Madison to facilitate the 1998 accreditation process and achieve alignment with the campus vision. Describes campuswide framework, with learning as the theme connecting the university's structures, and the models used to facilitate accomplishment of goals. (YKH)

Reports employers' concern that today's graduates are unprepared for the workplace. Argues that employers are major customers of the educational system; however, few school districts have meaningful measures of graduate performance. Discusses two partnership examples in which schools and businesses cooperate to improve education. Presents…