Kazakhstan has made tremendous progress in ensuring universal access to primary and lower-secondary education. Nevertheless, results international surveys reveal that almost two-thirds of students from Kazakhstan complete schooling without mastering the basic skills needed to be successful, and that student achievement is increasingly inequitable.…

In fiscal year 2009, the Department of Defense's (DOD) Military Tuition Assistance (TA) Program provided $517 million in tuition assistance to approximately 377,000 service members. US Government Accountability Office (GAO) was asked to report on (1) DOD's oversight of schools receiving TA funds, and (2) the extent to which DOD coordinates with…

Background: National minimum standards for residential care homes were introduced following the Care Standards Act 2000 in response to concern about the lack of consistency and poor quality services. These standards are intended to reflect outcomes for service users and to be comprehensive in scope. Method: This study compared ratings made by care…

Discusses the quality controls imposed on text and image data that is currently being converted from paper to digital images by the Patent and Trademark Office. The methods of inspection used on text and on images are described, and the quality of the data delivered thus far is discussed. (CLB)

This report provides an evaluation of the effectiveness of the integrated inspection arrangements put in place by the Care Commission and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) to evaluate the quality of early years' day care and education services. It is based on the first round of inspections of these services which were carried out…

One way to ensure the quality of education in schools in the developed countries of the West is through the use of national school inspections; an analysis of the inspection system used in England and Wales is offered here. The 1992 Education Act instituted a radically different mode of inspection in England and Wales. The act gave contracts to…

A pilot study investigated and developed the potential contribution of self-assessment procedures in the regulation of British day nurseries. Inspection staff in four local authorities used day-care self-assessment materials adapted for inspection purposes. Results suggested that self-assessment incorporated with inspection and development work…

Conducted by the Pennsylvania Office of Children, Youth and Families, this study compared findings of unannounced and announced licensing inspections of child care centers and homes. A statewide random sample of 377 child care centers and homes were selected to be reviewed through an unannounced inspection. All had been inspected within the…

The National Playground Safety Institute believes it is essential to develop and administer a national voluntary certification program for playground safety inspectors. Certified individuals would routinely receive new information and instruction in new procedures. The paper discusses who should receive such certification and how they would be…

Discusses the background of the Scottish Newspapers Microfilming Unit: its establishment in 1993, support by the Mellon Foundation, and project progress. Project highlights include: technical processes used in microfilm production, preservation functions of microfilm, quality control procedures, storage recommendations, types of collections that…

This seventh in a series of seven modules for a course titled Nondestructive Examination (NDE) Techniques I describes radiographic specifications and code requirements. The module follows a typical format that includes the following sections: (1) introduction, (2) module prerequisites, (3) objectives, (4) notes to instructor/student, (5) subject…

This second in a series of eight modules for a course titled Quality Assurance Practices describes the quality assurance requirements for the qualification of suppliers, for evaluating subsequent supplier performance, and for accepting items or services furnished by the supplier. The module follows a typical format that includes the following…

This seventh in a series of ten modules for a course titled Welding Inspection describes how to determine what inspection is required for a given weld, when the inspection should be performed, and what acceptance standards apply. The module follows a typical format that includes the following sections: (1) introduction, (2) module prerequisites,…

This eighth in a series of ten modules for a course titled Welding Inspection describes controls necessary to place the proper electrode or rod at each welding station. More specifically, the module describes use of the American Welding Society specifications, control of weld filler material after receipt from the supplier, and methods of ensuring…

This sixth in a series of eight modules for a course titled Quality Assurance Practices describes the program for qualification of personnel assigned to inspection and test activities. The module follows a typical format that includes the following sections: (1) introduction, (2) module prerequisites, (3) objectives, (4) notes to…