This research was conducted to determine the effects of traditional instruction versus Contract Activity Packaged (CAP) versus Programmed Sequenced Learning (PLS) versus Tactual Resources (TR) on the achievement and attitudes of 32 second-year undergraduate teacher education majors enrolled in two classes of a required child-study course at a…

Article investigated "the illusion of educational change in America." (Author/RK)

The author gives another solution to problems created by the universal access to colleges. Pre-matriculation involves contractually limiting the number of hours and specifying a gradepoint which must be met for 30 credits. (Author/PC)

After discussing the need for second-order (or structural) reform and Tennessee's leadership in "first wave" legislation, this paper describes selected aspects of Tennessee reform activities and recent events leading to client-centered control. Tennessee's Better Schools Program, consistent with "first-wave" proposals,…

Reading achievement of students in second to sixth grade in three school districts participating in a performance-contracting program was tested, using the Stanford Achievement Test and the Metropolitan Achievement Test, at the beginning and the end of the school year. The performance contract for each of the districts included a…

The library skills design for elementary schools which is described utilizes specific objectives and a teacher/library media specialist contract to reach objectives. Steps described in this instructional approach include (1) the determination of themes; (2) the performance of skills/task analysis of themes to provide objectives; (3) interviews…

Contingency contracting, as a viable treatment modality for the rehabilitation of drug abusers, has been investigated, and promising results have been attained. During the past two and one-half years drug abuse treatment and paraprofessional training models have been developed. Treatment for drug abuse has been facilitated within the natural…

This paper discusses a new approach to quality education and accountability in personnel performance and pupil progress in reading which has been initiated in the Title I elementary schools of the District of Columbia. This concept, known as competitive partnership, is an instructional program in which major publishing companies compete with each…

The intention of this monograph is to provide information on the subject of merit pay plans and teacher evaluation to assist local school boards in developing their own salary scales. Topics discussed by six authors include the growth of merit pay contracts, the state of the art in evaluation, job evaluation techniques, performance evaluation and…

This monograph, prepared to assist Georgia elementary principals to better understand accountability and its implications for educational improvement, sets forth many of the theoretical and philosophical bases from which accountability is being considered. Leon M. Lessinger begins this 5-paper presentation by describing the need for accountability…

This report attempts to cut through the rhetoric of both the opponents and the proponents of performance contracting and to bring the main issues into focus. The report (1) describes different kinds of contracts; (2) discusses testing problems; (3) gives a description of the Texarkana and Banneker elementary school projects; (4) provides sample…

This paper describes a planning cost model for estimating the comparable replication cost of an educational program for use in evaluating alternative programs and planning future programs. The conceptual and methodological bases of cost analysis are explored and the shortcomings of present methods for comparison and evaluation of educational…

This paper describes the Orange Plan, a learning support system at Orange Coast College (California) which creates alternatives to traditional educational experiences. The Orange Plan is composed of four subsystems: (1) learning contracts, (2) information systems, (3) resource consultants, and (4) interdisciplinary studies courses. Each subsystem…

A program based on the business world's system of contracting between employer and employee, in effect, the production of a particular product for a specific wage as stated in a written contract, was utilized in a six week independent study assignment. Students had the opportunity to choose the subject and received credit for it. (Author/RK)

A "poor man's" multimedia approach to assisting physical underachievers is discussed. (MM)