As part of a Kentucky effort to improve public education and to increase taxpayer confidence in expanded educational funding, a citizen committee examined and made recommendations on approaches to school accountability and assessment, particularly student testing in the Kentucky Instructional Results Information System (KIRIS). The recommendations…

The Blue Ribbon Commission on Diversity and Equity, appointed by the Superintendent of the Saint Paul (Minnesota) Public Schools, reviewed the policies and practices of the city's public schools, focusing on the low achievement of students of color. The Commission presented its report in May 1994, and this report is the Superintendent's response.…

Resulting from a project undertaken by Iowa's Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) to develop course and program competencies for the assessment of student academic achievement, this plan describes the assessment model developed by the college. Introductory sections describe the process used to develop the plan and provide responses to…

This document presents arguments to counter nine criticisms, or "lies," most frequently leveled at school choice. The criticisms include the following: (1) the undermining America argument: Choice will destroy the American public school tradition; (2) the creaming argument: Choice will leave the poor behind in the worst schools; (3) the…

This study examined critical issues related to including students with disabilities in the Texas assessment and accountability system and recommended a plan of action to address these issues. The statewide stakeholder group examining the issues focused particularly on local implementation barriers. The report begins with a discussion of assessment…

In 1996, the New York State Office of the Comptroller performed an audit of Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) awards at Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) for the 1993-94 through 1995-96 academic years. TAP, the largest student grant and scholarship program administered by the Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC), is designed to…

In 1983, California's Los Rios Community College District developed the Student Flow Research Model, designed to bring together data on community characteristics, student characteristics, student and program performance, and former students' outcomes to answer basic questions related to institutional effectiveness. Over the years, the District has…

Marketing has become a popular strategic initiative among state extension services to meet the growing demand for program accountability. The Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service (LCES) began a formative evaluation of its marketing efforts as a step toward a comprehensive marketing plan. All extension faculty were surveyed to determine their…

This briefing document provides background information regarding critical statewide (Missouri) issues in higher education. Following a general discussion of Missouri's educational needs and some possible goals for the system of higher education, the paper focuses on three themes: (1) institutional missions; (2) funding policies; and (3)…

Quality Performance Accreditation (QPA), as mandated by the Kansas State Board of Education, requires schools to document student learning through multiple assessment strategies and requires students to participate in state-developed assessments in reading, writing, mathematics, and science. The Kansas National Education Association has joined…

Three papers are presented that summarize current project findings from a study of the actual effects of introducing new forms of assessment at the classroom level. All focus on aspects of performance assessment as an alternative to traditional assessments. "Effects of Introducing Classroom Performance Assessments on Student Learning" by Lorrie A.…

This paper first explains outcome-based education and then considers specific questions related to serving gifted students in an outcome-based education school community, with special application to Pennsylvania. Outcome-based education is defined in terms of its emphasis on establishing learning outcomes, developing appropriate measures, and…

This is the final report on long range planning for financial support for and investment in New Jersey's state colleges. Opening sections summarize the findings of the Advisory Commission on Investing in the State Colleges charged with examining the issues, origins, membership, charge and general principles of that Commission, the economic, social…

The Educational Priorities Panel undertook a study to find out how funds are distributed among community school districts in New York (New York) and how resources are distributed to individual schools within the system. For the first time, in 1992, the New York City Board of Education published detailed budgets for the 32 community school…

The Assembly Education Committee of the New Jersey Office of Legislative Services held a hearing pursuant to Assembly Resolution 113, a proposal directing the Committee to investigate the skills testing program developed and administered to New Jersey children by the State Department of Education. The Committee was interested in the eighth-grade…