The idea that different meanings of "quality" in higher education (meritocratic, social, and individualistic) may influence the assessments of college presidents of their institutions is explored. These three dimensions are combined in a model that allows a more complex view of institutional quality. (MSE)

America 2000 tries to advance both student achievement and educational freedom (through school choice). Its newly formulated learning standards and achievement tests could benefit children of all regions and backgrounds. America 2000 will strengthen all citizens' future by creating a national mechanism for quality control. (11 references) (MLH)

In response to changing government philosophy concerning higher education, including increased institutional autonomy alongside greater pressure for accountability and internal renewal, Dutch universities have developed a system for external quality assessment under the aegis of the Association of Dutch Universities. Its evolution and results to…

Describes contributions made by the National Council on the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), noting changes in accreditation standards for teacher preparation programs. The article describes a study of the first 20 schools seeking accreditation under the new NCATE process. Results indicated national accreditation had a significant…

Examines the current national policy situation regarding quality assurance in the United Kingdom, as revealed through the work of the Audit Commission and the local education authorities' early responses to that work. Describes current quality assurance practices in Barset as perceived by various authority respondents, comparing it to Dorset's…

Discusses traditional approaches to assuring qualified teachers, newer trends that have appeared (mentoring and internships), and a licensure and residency approach being considered in Ohio. The article recommends restructuring the licensure system to focus on the competencies essential for successful beginning practice in schools in the process…

An editorial and two articles on quality control in evaluation are presented. Topics covered include definition and assessment of evaluation quality and development of standards for judging quality. Programs inspections activities of the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services are discussed. (TJH)

Ongoing research finds that alternatives to formal tests carry hidden costs and require trade-offs. National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST) is studying how performance assessments work so that they may be designed to help students reach their highest potential. This article raises priority questions,…

Sharon (Massachusetts) Public Schools developed an alternative procurement process for school food services that complies with state public bidding laws while evading "low-bid" constraints. The new process features evaluative criteria covering nutrition education, community outreach, management expertise, site visits, and price…

The purpose of this research was to identify the service factors that influence judgments of customer satisfaction in the academic library/media center. The study, conducted at Florida State University examined the relative importance of these determinants of service quality and compared these results to earlier studies conducted with customers of…

Discusses the need for an international approach to quality assessment and assurance in higher education that goes beyond national efforts, and proposes a European Centre for Substantial Equivalence in academic standards. Argues that a European or international-quality hallmark will play an important role in student, faculty, and employee…

Discussion of quality assurance in Australian higher education focuses on a case study of a university sector college. Identifies an "implementation gap" between the intentions underpinning "quality policy" and actual outcomes. Argues that institutions and external quality bodies need to consider the conditions and context of…

Explains how South Carolina has linked service learning to teacher education, strategic planning in schools, and educational accountability. Planners should establish a policy council, align service-learning initiatives with policy goals and programs, state academic standards, and teacher education programs; and create a network of trained…

Presents evidence from the British Universities Council for the Education of Teachers to the House Commons Select Committee on Education regarding the current Office for Standards in Education inspection process for preservice teacher education, presenting arguments regarding cost, timing, and frequency of inspections and biases within and effects…

Describes Translation Quality Assessment (TQA), an approach to evaluating translation that incorporates aspects of textlinguistic, pragmatic, and discourse models of translation and focuses on text as a communicative occurrence, within a specific context, rather than a series of words and grammatical structures. A functionalist approach to…