Introduces a special issue on the advantages of conducting "Level 1 research," a method of service-delivery accountability which involves systematically monitoring clinical outcomes without attempting to scientifically prove what is causing those effects. This type of research is compared with both Level 3 research (scientific research) and Level…

Telephone interviews with several California principals and superintendents disclosed inconsistent principal-evaluation procedures. Principals said they were concerned about possible negative influences of covert superintendent and/or board agendas and district micromanagement of schools on their evaluations. Strategies for improving practice and…

Studied charter schools in California, using case studies and more than 450 interviews with teachers, administrators, parents, and community members. Focused on four assumptions usually made about charter schools to show that these schools are not, for the most part, the highly autonomous, accountable, and efficient schools of choice promised by…

Faced with low literacy levels, four schools in Santa Clara, California, decreed that every entering kindergartner would be a competent reader by the end of second grade. The schools then implemented the 1,000 Days Network--an uninterrupted morning literacy block tailored to children's needs. Preliminary results are encouraging. (MLH)

In 1998-99, the 51,000-student Sacramento City (California) Unified School District saw unprecedented gains in SAT-9 scores. Significant attention was given to establishing a culture of accountability and collegiality, initiating a well- organized professional-development campaign, developing focused and frequent communications, and raising…

Compares the implementation of quality assurance mechanisms at the City University of Hong Kong and the National University of Singapore. Discusses public policy contexts in the two countries, the introduction of "quality process reviews" in Hong Kong, managerialism and the new emphasis on educational efficiency, institutional…

Discusses five assumptions regarding accountability and public schools: reporting to parents in the community, assessment techniques, school complexity, teaching and learning processes, and improving schools. Draws on accountability legislation and best practices in many states to offer viable possibilities to regaining public trust in education…

Presents an overview of the Council of Chief State School Officers' annual report on state indicators of the condition of elementary and secondary education and outlines the indicators now being reported and used by states, districts, national organizations, federal agencies, and educators, explaining the link to Title I accountability. (SM)

A study investigated the extent to which scores in Kentucky's statewide alternate assessment program for 60 students with severe disabilities correlated with measures of program quality and overall school effectiveness. Results indicated a significant relationship between overall program quality and scores, but not between scores and…

Holding teachers responsible for the behavior of students is an inappropriate policy that results in ineffective teaching, diminished enthusiasm for learning, and lower levels of achievement. The reasons this is so are discussed. Students must be responsible for their own learning. (Author/SLD)

Describes developments in the state of South Carolina regarding school assessment and accountability. Outlines the mandates of South Carolina's Accountability Act of 1998 which focuses directly on "school accountability." (SR)

Evaluation study showed the PASSKey (Planned Activity, Strategic Sampling, Keystone behavior) model of service delivery to be reliable in increasing accountability of parents and teachers in early-childhood interventions. Case study results (N=28) are included. (EMK)

Reports on the establishment of a charter school in Michigan that serves home-schooling families and stresses a creationist curriculum. Describes the legal action taken against public funding of the charter school. (DDR)

Addresses issues in the inclusion of students with disabilities in educational assessments. Distinguishes between accountability and assessment and describes a framework of educational accountability with domains, indicators, and sources of information. Also considered are alternative assessments and accommodations and public reporting on the…

Discusses the dynamics of accountability in public schools. Looks at the potential benefits that are likely to accrue from the focus on student performance. (Contains 25 references.) (JOW)