This book contains abridged and edited versions of research reports with original commentary that were previously published elsewhere. The articles reflect J. Dewey's notion that schools must prepare children to be effective members of a democracy and that life in a heterogeneous society requires cultural flexibility and cooperation that must be…

This document provides an accountability report for New Jersey's Atlantic Community College (ACC) for fiscal year (FY) 1995. Following ACC's mission statement, 11 institutional goals are presented for FY 1995, with each goal including a list of specific institutional objectives to be undertaken or completed during the year. Next, benchmarks of…

This article explores the following questions: first, "Do colleges of higher vocational education vary in the mean success of their graduates on the labor market?" and, second, "Are the differences between these colleges stable over time?". The analysis drew upon school effectiveness, quality assurance and labor market…

In the United States in recent years there has been extensive concern about school reform and keen interest in Japanese business-management practices. This paper presents findings of a case study that examined the role and responsibilities of two middle school principals, one in Japan and one in the United States. The study is based on Krug's…

During the 1980s, considerable attention was given to the influence of "effective" elementary schools on students' school achievement. Effective schools were typically defined as those with certain characteristics that had been found to be positively correlated with student achievement scores. This paper presents findings of a longitudinal study…

In September 1990 and June 1991, the Office of Institutional Research at Oklahoma City Community College (OKCCC) conducted follow-up studies of December 1988 and July 1990 OKCCC graduates, respectively. Questionnaires were sent to 365 graduates in 1990 and to 398 graduates in 1991. Survey findings, based on a 20.8% response rate in 1990 and 17.6%…

This volume contains 13 papers on experiences with reform and innovation in higher education and their implications for developing countries. Four themes are highlighted: higher education and development, performance assessment, sustainable financing, and effectiveness in governance and management. The papers include: "Introduction:…

As part of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools self-study process for reaffirmation of accreditation, Gainesville College (GC) conducted its second decennial needs assessment survey in fall 1990 to obtain data to assist in college planning and program improvement. Separate survey instruments were developed to gather data from…

Distributive Information Systems for Campuses (DISC) is a project to increase the data access and information generating capabilities of schools of the Austin (Texas) Independent School District by decentralizing data manipulation functions, while maintaining centralized data processing of major applications. The project means that campuses will…

This paper briefly reviews the literature on the common factors in effective college student retention programs, then presents a study assessing the impact of the institution's mission effectiveness as distinct from other determinants of student retention. The assessment of retention predictors and the effects of the school's mission were…

Prepared pursuant to new Maryland accountability requirements, this report offers information on access and equity; student goal achievement; transfer preparation; employment and economic development; and student involvement, community involvement, and cultural activities at Charles County Community College (CCCC). The report's preface provides…

The accountability system that is being implemented in the Dallas Independent School District (Texas) is a three-tier system. The first tier focuses at the school level. The second involves the District Improvement Plan, setting district accountability objectives. The third tier involves school effectiveness indices, which take into account…

This long-term follow-up study, conducted in the summer of 1998 by Johnson County Community College (JCCC, Kansas) focused on graduates, certificate recipients, and students identified by career program administrators as leaving with marketable skills in 1993-94. Since first administering this type of survey in 1989, JCCC has gained a broader…

The keynote addresses introduced conference participants both to general perspectives on school choice and to a specific focus on Maryland issues, concerns, and problems. In the panel discussion, four educational administrators discussed particular aspects of choice plans in their own subdivisions in different states. In the six discussion groups,…

A series of focus-group interviews was conducted to explore the meaning of selected indicators of school climate to teachers and other school personnel. The selected indicators focused on encouragement and recognition of school personnel as aspects of school climate. School personnel were interviewed in groups of 5 or 6 in 27 schools with…