A survey of various reform efforts was made to clarify the similarities and differences between them and efforts to integrate vocational and academic education. The survey revealed four distinct approaches to school reforms: (1) teacher professionalization; (2) curricular and teaching reform; (3) schools of choice; and (4) restructuring. According…

A study was conducted to determine adult learners' perceptions of their undergraduate evening programs and, at the same time, provide those same adult learners with an active learning research experience. Fifty-item questionnaires focusing on class scheduling, student characteristics and activity participation, quality of services offered, and…

A random nationally generalizable sample of 563 public and private nonprofit institutions offering up to 2 years of postsecondary education (response rate, 85%) was studied to determine the status of vocational program quality before and after passage of the 1990 Perkins amendments. Data on vocational program enrollments, initial changes to…

This paper presents a five-year plan for the improvement of Pennsylvania's system of services for people with mental retardation and their families. It was developed over an 18-month period by 70 people, including people with disabilities, family members, advocates, providers of service, legislative staff, and county and state government…

This document contains four papers from a symposium on organization development and change. "The Effectiveness of Total Quality Management: A Response to the Critics" (Douglas H. Smith, Ralph G. Lewis) identifies four effectiveness principles: customer satisfaction, continuous improvement, speaking with facts, and respect for people. "Fast Cycle…

Much of the extensive diagnosis, testing, and data collection that now occur in reading clinics is time consuming and unnecessary. Private and university-based reading clinics, however, need to provide worthwhile activities that support students' literacy learning while they consider the important relationship of instruction and evaluation. After…

This technical assistance guide was developed to help state policy makers develop performance-standard incentive policies that are effective tools in accomplishing state and federal goals for Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) programs. The guide is organized in three sections. The first section introduces incentive policies as tools to further…

An Urban League project in Springfield, Illinois, provided instruction in small business management to persons who had been convicted of a crime. Phase II of the project required designing a self-instructional workbook and tape to be used when classes were not available. A resource guide listing agencies providing assistance to business persons…

This document contains the final evaluation profile for the Bilingual Academic Services and Integrated Career Systems (Project BASICS). A brief extract presents an overview of salient points of the project: funding cycle; enrollment figures; background of students served; admission criteria; and programming features, strengths, and limitations,…

A summary of an inquiry into the educational system of Newfoundland (Canada) presents the model for change designed by the Royal Commission of Inquiry, and the process used by the commission to obtain information. Public opinion on denominational education is examined, and costs of denominational schooling are explored. The commission sought to…

A study examined the views, outcomes, and recommendations of members of the graduating classes of 1986-87, 1989-90, and 1990-91 of Salt Lake City School District's high schools. Of the 3,990 survey instruments mailed to potential respondents, 1,010 were undeliverable and 1,292 surveys were returned for an overall district response rate of 43.36%.…

A review of the literature was conducted to describe the field of program evaluation, to identify useful sources of information on the topic, and to outline concepts and methodologies that have been proposed for planning and conducting evaluations of education and training programs. The results of the review showed that the failures of early…

This report is one in a series of studies by the Children's Defense Fund examining state policies and practices in child care and early childhood education. It is based on comprehensive surveys conducted in all 50 states and the District of Columbia in 1991 and 1993 to examine Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) child care policies and…

Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (STOU) is one of Thailand's two official open universities. STOU has no on-campus classes. Instead, it offers self-instructional packages in a distance education format and conducts optional tutorials in local study centers throughout Thailand. STOU's curriculum, which is designed to provide educational…

This report describes the development, implementation, and evaluation of a pilot project by the Studio in a School (SIAS) arts group to place professional artists in six preschools and kindergarten programs in New York City public schools. The SIAS program provided both on-site, hands-on visual arts training of teachers and aides and direct…