Over the past decade, investing in learning programs for young children has emerged as a central strategy in states' efforts to improve educational achievement and opportunity. This trend has been fueled by strong public support and a steady stream of research findings on the influence of the first few years of life on cognitive and emotional…

A descriptive research project was conducted to investigate how 57 public school districts in the United States used data-informed processes and data support tools like the Quality School Portfolio (QSP) to address key district questions. The research project was a partnership among the American Association of School Administrators, the National…

"Every Child" is Australia's premier early childhood publication, aimed at anyone involved in the care and education of children from birth to eight years--in particular child care professionals, teachers, child care students and the parents of young children. Published quarterly, it contains informative and entertaining articles on such…

An ideal companion to "Academic Skills Problems, Third Edition," this user-friendly workbook offers numerous opportunities for practicing and mastering direct assessment and intervention procedures. Practice exercises and forms--some of which are reprinted from the text--are presented in a convenient 8 1/2" x 11" format with…

This handbook, a companion to "Standards for Professional Development Schools," describes an assessment process for Professional Development School (PDS) participants, specifically for PDS standards, developed during 3 years of a field test. The assessment process is intended to support the continued development of PDS partnerships and…

This publication outlines prerequisites for success, critical factors in achieving excellence, and strategies for sustaining excellence once high levels of performance have been achieved. It considers how quality and improvement models might be used to support colleges in this work and draws on the work of 10 colleges in the United Kingdom that…

In 2004, the Legislature and the Governor of Washington State revised the roles and responsibilities of the Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB). House Bill 3103 directed the HECB to establish an accountability monitoring and reporting system to determine how performance would be measured, set targets for achievement within this framework,…

Public schools in the United States face enormous challenges as they try to provide cost-effective, good quality education. Schools can continually change to provide this service. The principles and processes of Total Quality Management can lead to Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI). Change can be initiated at any level and can be customized to…

The report presents a conceptual framework and related strategies designed to help policymakers and practitioners re-examine, and when necessary, rework the basic assumptions and practices defining the educational experiences of bilingual/English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) learners in New York City (New York) public schools. The report consists of…

This document serves as a "talking paper" for the Consultation Task Force for Library Space Standards. The current required formulae for planning library and learning resource facilities for community colleges in California are found in the California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 5, Section 57030, "Library Space." This…

The urgent need for an effective performance-based assessment tool that can make the connection between effective teaching and student learning has spurred action by expert educators. The Teacher Work Sample Methodology (TWSM) is a quality assurance system that can assess what students learn, how well they learn it, progress they make in their…

A project explored the complex relationships between "integrated" numeracy and literacy skills, self confidence, and the place of skills, knowledge, and values in the learning process. The focus was on beef producers undertaking training in quality assurance (QA). Analysis of observations of QA process on three case study farms and…

This study examines the implementation of Total Quality Management (TQM) in the Library/Learning Resources Centers (LRC) of Columbia State Community College, Columbia, Tennessee; Delaware County Community College, Media, Pennsylvania; and Guilford Technical Community College, Greensboro, North Carolina. To place the LRCs' TQM experiences in proper…

Design problems of a school curriculum plan (those which result when elements required to attain quality control are not present or not functionally linked one to the other) and delivery problems (implementation) are discussed in relation to school curriculum management. Problem intervention and improvement are noted. Eleven references are cited.…

Five contributors identify essential means for the college to assure high standards, quality control, and consistency in assessing the prior learning of adults. Types of learning include work or military experience and life experience; assessment methods include examination, portfolio examination, and competence-based programs. (Author/MSE)