The paper describes a critical peer review developed at Napier Polytechnic (NP) of Edinburgh, Scotland for the evaluation and monitoring of its courses. Illustrations of the system are based on the accounting courses offered by the Department of Accounting and Law. The paper first describes the creation of NP from an amalgamation of two colleges…

A review and assessment of states' reform actions, measurement techniques, and the relevance of the reforms for New York State are addressed in this collection of papers from a working seminar on the purpose of schooling and the means of producing higher levels of achievement. The first paper, "Education Reform in the State: A Comparative…

As society's fundamental characteristics change, schools and school leaders must be prepared to modify the educational enterprise to meet the new and unique needs of adults and youngsters in the 21st century. To anticipate and control change, the school business manager must be able to project future trends, issues, and challenges. In this volume,…

This report summarizes current literature on trends that dramatically affect collegiate institutions. The following demographic changes are discussed: (1) increase in female enrollment; (2) decrease in enrollment of 18-year-olds; (3) increase in median age of students; (4) decline in enrollment and continuation of blacks; (5) increase in…

The importance of a state role in assessing and improving undergraduate education and possible initiatives that states can pursue are discussed. Two roles for states are identified: (1) state regulatory and funding mechanisms should create an appropriate climate and concrete incentives for inducing institutional self-improvement; and (2) state…

Although some board members and superintendents may consider superintendent evaluation as potentially disturbing for their working relationships, such evaluations may become more appealing when considered as part of a broader system of school governance and management. What is needed is a performance appraisal system developed jointly by…

This guide is intended to assist community-based organizations (CBOs) in developing Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) programs that will provide needed services to their constituents. First, the history and implications of JTPA are summarized from a CBO viewpoint. Discussed in a chapter on JTPA funding categories are such topics as allocation…

Faculty attitudes concerning the Australian government's proposal for periodic reviews of faculty performance were determined through interviews in 1983. The Australian Senate's report on tenure of academic staff recommended that all staff be regularly reviewed on their performance in teaching, research, and service. A sample of 104 University of…

The instructional and political validity of current educational policy regarding categorical programs for low-achieving elementary school students are examined. The categorical organization of services for these students, characterized by a vast array of eligibility requirements, rules and regulations, and accounting systems, has resulted in a…

This report details a series of specific recommendations aimed at improving the conditions of learning and teaching, teacher preparation and licensure, recruitment and minority recruitment, and accountability in New York State. The necessity of restructuring schools in the state is first discussed. Recommendations are then made in the following…

The National Advisory Council on Educational Research and Improvement sponsored a conference to take a close look at the practical ways in which education is being reformed, and perhaps transformed, with the assistance of private-sector advice and innovations and with certain business disciplines. Following are the titles and authors of the papers…

This paper reviews the economic and political science literature, and the literature on Chapter 1/Title I in order to identify policy options that retain adequate fiscal accountability as well as insure program quality. Chapter 1 of the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act of 1981 is the successor to Title I of the Elementary and Secondary…

In light of growing concern for the measurement of educational effectiveness, this paper advocates institutional research at the community college level in California's community colleges to answer crucial questions concerning students, programs, and communities and urges trustees and administrators to use research results to inform decision…

Since people's mental makeup is, to a certain extent, based on what they have read and how it has been incorporated into their lives, it is not surprising that considerable attention is paid to what children read. As a consequence, children's books tend to be highly moralistic. Many realistic books today attempt to teach children how to cope with…

There is an increasing interest by government in accountability for higher education. Efforts such as performance budgeting, performance auditing, and state review of academic programs are becoming more common. Opponents of government involvement assert that regional accreditation reviews are sufficient to maintain quality standards. However,…