In April 1996, a study was undertaken at Johnson County Community College, in Kansas, to determine students' use of and satisfaction with college services. Questionnaires were distributed to students in 50 classes, selected to approximate the overall demographics of the student body. Study findings, based on responses from 689 students, included…

There has been a long-standing national concern about students considered to be at-risk. This paper explores the problem in a high school in the greater metropolitan New York area, focusing on female students in grades 9 to 12, and makes recommendations as to how school officials and parents can help these students. Three elements of the school…

Since 1986-87, California's Los Rios Community College District (LRCCD) has annually collected data on students who transfer from the District's three colleges (i.e., American River College (ARC), Cosumnes River College (CRC), and Sacramento City College (SCC)) to the California State University (CSU) and the University of California (UC) systems.…

In a survey of educational researchers, school and district administrators, and policymakers, 1,818 respondents rated educational practices and policies according to their influence on learning and assessability. Classroom practices, design and delivery of curriculum, and schoolwide practices were rated as more influential than federal, state, and…

Psychological theory holds that resilient infants, children, and youth can do well even in adverse circumstances. Corroborative research in preventive psychopathology, longitudinal cases of resilient development, and effective education suggests an ecological framework that organizes findings and can help guide research on educational resilience…

Recent debates regarding the crisis in American education have led to two essentially contradictory positions: one calling for a movement away from a unified concept of education toward a concept which recognizes and incorporates diversity; and the other calling for increased accountability on all levels of education. The purpose of this paper is…

In winter 1994, a study was conducted at Miami-Dade Community College (M-DCC), in Florida, to determine students' perceptions of the college's educational goals. Surveys were distributed to students in 200 courses, representing 5% of all classes offered in the term. Using a 5-point scale, students were asked to rate both the importance of 20…

This book presents information for school administrators and leaders about how to use a wide variety of planning tools for educational change. The planning strategies draw on current restructuring concepts, such as effective-schools research, school-based management, and total quality management (TQM), to create a holistic framework for…

This report examines the origins, development, content, and implementation of state-level policies that were designed to establish or strengthen educational accountability and effectiveness in the 15 states that are members of the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB). It provides state-by-state profiles of legislation and policies, explaining…

This report examines the origins, development, content, and implementation of state-level policies that were designed to establish or strengthen educational accountability and effectiveness in the 15 states that are members of the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB). It provides tables outlining the context and content of such initiatives in…

This book provides a brief historical review of outcomes assessment in higher education and a general guide to designing, implementing, and evaluating assessment programs. Chapter 1 provides several definitions of commonly used terms and a review of the major actors and the political context. It identifies factors contributing to the recent push…

Leading educational reformers have recently contended that students in U.S. secondary schools rarely are challenged to use their minds in any meaningful way. Faced with the remarkable absence of classroom thoughtfulness in U.S. schools, educational reformers have suggested that major organizational changes are necessary to improve the emphasis on…

In fall 1993, a survey was conducted at Sinclair Community College (SCC), in Ohio, to determine currently enrolled students' perceptions regarding their experiences, evaluations of SCC, and educational goals. Questionnaires were distributed to 20,948 students in 155 classrooms, resulting in a 10% return rate (n=1,909). The demographic…

This collection of seven articles examines achievement-based resourcing (ABR), the concept that the funding of educational institutions should be linked to their success in promoting student achievement, with a focus on the application of ABR to postsecondary education in the United Kingdom. The articles include: (1) "Introduction" (Mick…

Assessment as conducted at Finger Lakes Community College (FLCC) in Canandaigua (New York) has taken various forms and has been conducted under various names. This publication offers an overview of assessment at the college from a philosophical and historical perspective. In both general and specific terms, the efforts of the college to meet the…