In 1992, a study was conducted to determine whether Grossmont College (GC) was meeting its five stated goals of excellence, retention, access, transfer, and diversity. Data were gathered on: (1) student access, including a comparison of applicants and enrollees, the ethnicity of freshmen, participation in testing and orientation programs, English…

Drawing on demographic data, a variety of sources and abstracted documentation, as well as the work of national scanning panels, this report briefly reviews the following 12 issues facing community colleges: (1) the conflict between the broad requirements of state and federal educational legislation, and the increasingly unique demands placed on…

California Assembly Bill (AB) 1725 requires the California Community Colleges (CCC) to develop and implement a comprehensive educational and fiscal accountability system, beginning no later than 1991-92. As part of the system, individual colleges will provide data to the Chancellor's Office on student access, success, and satisfaction; staff…

It is generally agreed that students (especially those from minority and disadvantaged backgrounds) are better educated in Catholic high schools than in public high schools. This book examines a broad range of Catholic high schools to determine if this difference is so, the reasons why, and whether this type of success can be transferred to the…

Two sets of research findings are available that may provide a sound base for conducting vocational education research leading to systematic program improvement and to the attainment of excellence in education. The first is effective schooling research and the second concerns principles used by successful businesses in the United States. An…

The master plan in this document, drafted to improve the quality of education in California, is the result of (1) a survey of graduation requirements in the state and elsewhere in the nation and (2) public hearings. With the impetus of state legislation enacted in April 1983, the California State Board of Education has requested each district…

These papers, by unidentified staff members of the California Department of Education, were supplied to participants in the California Education Summit for discussion and the development of specific recommendations. The summit's keynote address, "The Global Democratic Revolution" (Diane Ravitch), is also included, as is an alphabetical…

Suggestions for improving communication and public relations are offered in this guidebook for school office personnel. Because of the high visibility and accessibility of their positions, such staff serve important public relations functions for the school. Chapter 1 examines the public relations role of school office personnel, and chapter 2…

This paper summarizes issues and perspectives that form the basis of current educational debate. The paper contends that early in the 21st century, Hispanics and other minorities will constitute the majority of the work force in major markets across the nation. The lack of preparedness of over half the potential pool of minority workers will have…

The findings of a pilot study of Pennsylvania's School Performance Incentive (SPI) program are presented in this report. School level incentive policies as elements of the entrepreneurial context of educational restructuring and an organizational model for an incentive-based merit system are also discussed. The study examines the effect of SPI on…

A nonprofit, independent parent education program for parent empowerment is described in this report. Sponsored by the Parent Institute for Quality Education, the training process focuses on developing parent involvement, action, and advocacy in low income, Hispanic, and ethnolinguistic populations. The program challenges the expectation that…

Focusing on the 1988-89 academic year, this report outlines the procedures, actions, and findings of Germanna Community College's (GCC's) Assessment Steering Committee. Separate reports explain the methods and outcomes of assessments of the developmental studies program, general education curriculum, nursing program, and associate of applied…

An overview of incentive programs for teachers, administrators, and schools is presented in this report. Topics of discussion include trends in state and local funding, rewards based on teacher performance versus student performance, and program evaluation and outcomes. Discussion findings indicate that the most important and persistent questions…

This paper traces the development of research concerning effective schools and provides a critical, synthesizing overview of various research strands. Strands of research included are self-concept, teacher expectations, democratic-authoritarian leadership, various uses of the term "school climate," input-output production models (with…

One of the seven correlates of an effective school, as identified by the Effective Schools Research, is a positive school climate: a positive attitude on the part of the entire staff and student body exhibited through overt behavior that creates a warm, orderly learning environment. Development of such an environment depends upon: (1) strong…