Monitoring the effectiveness of reading education is central to the appraisal of the productivity of schooling, yet most measures currently being used do not take into account the full range of processes which lead to successful reading education. A model of indicators relevant to reading education (outcome, process, and input) can be used to…

The Latino population is the fastest growing ethnic minority in the United States. This group is rapidly changing the face of public schools and presenting a unique set of challenges to public education. This policy brief provides the data and context to support the American Federation of Teacher's call for increased attention to the condition of…

Across the United States, nearly 50 million students are served by 96,000 public schools. Federal policymakers cannot be expected to diagnose the diverse learning needs of these students and to craft solutions adequate to meet all of them. Four decades, eight reauthorizations of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and expenditure of…

Every year, across the country, a dangerously high percentage of students--disproportionately poor and minority--disappear from the educational pipeline before graduating from high school. Nationally, only about 68% of all students who enter 9th grade will graduate "on time" with regular diplomas in 12th grade. While the graduation rate…

The National Governors' Association is urging states to develop a standardized cohort graduation rate definition and to develop data systems with quality data that can in turn be used to produce a reliable indicator. This paper is an examination of one state's graduation rate using the cohort method. The statistics generated are compared to a…

Secondary education continues to expand rapidly worldwide. Equally important is its diversification. The present paper contends that the diversification of secondary education, while acknowledged, is not well studied. Despite the widespread expansion of secondary education in different world regions, the information available to researchers--and…

The main aim of the pre-research was to complete our knowledge about the topic concerned so that we could more eruditely commence a large and entire examination of the school culture and strategies for its development. We were particularly concerned with: (1) comparing our starting idea about the problem of the school culture and possibilities for…

The paper reviews some of the classical indicators of academic professionalism, and illuminates a historical epoche when research and teaching became separate dimensions of professionalism in higher education. The paper argues that this separation has gone too far and that a new sense of professionalism needs to be invoked in the area of teaching…

This report discusses the State of California's fiscal condition and guides the reader through numerous factors that will influence State spending on higher education in the coming fiscal year. It also offers insight and observations on challenging policy decisions the Governor, the Legislature, and higher education leaders face in the coming…

The office of Institutional Development and Technology at the Santa Clarita Community College District, California, conducted surveys of Santa Clarita Valley (SCV) Residents and Santa Clarita Valley business executives during the Spring 2001 semester to assess the advanced training and degree program needs for the proposed University Center.…

In the current climate of accountability in American public education, tests get more attention and carry more importance than ever before. Both state accountability systems and the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) hold schools accountable for whether students pass standardized state tests. NCLB requires that schools and school districts…

Currently, the United States participates in four international assessments: the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), which assesses reading performance in grade 4; the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), which assesses the reading, mathematics, and science literacy of 15-year-olds; the Trends in International…

This is a self-assessment for Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC), Nevada. Assessment efforts at the College are intended to engage faculty and administration in a continuous process of examining the quality of programs and services. The assessment addresses the following issues: (1) student learning improvement; (2) demonstrating academic…

This report describes the development of indicators of classroom practice for monitoring and improving the quality of school reforms. The work entailed development of a rubric to rate key factors of classroom practice based on assignments and samples of student work. This approach was used to describe the intellectual challenge of class…

Argues that to understand differences in academic achievement among students of various genders, ethnic groups, or socioeconomic backgrounds, educators must look beyond differences in test scores to examine indicators associated with academic performance. Highlights academic-related indicators in the school improvement process: (1) educational…