Management by Objectives is a system which allows an organization to plan its course of action, assist individuals contributing to that course, and determine progress toward mutually accepted goals. The system allows every individual in the organization regardless of level and responsibility to know what is expected of him, where he may look for…

Theoretically, the relationship between boards of education and school administrators is well-defined -- the board makes policies, and the superintendent implements those policies. However, the lines of responsibility are not that clear-cut, leading to a variety of problems involving school boards and administrators. In examining documents dealing…

This paper is essentially an interpretive review of the literature on accountability as related to instructional programs in higher education. It is directed toward academic administrators, although others in higher education may find it useful. Accountability was treated as an essential set of transactions present in every relationship involving…

The 1973 Critical Issues Conference of the National Education Association (NEA) was convened in Portland, Oregon. The 3-day forum combined problems, suggestions, and ideas of delegates and members within the field of education. The topics discussed by politicians and educational leaders included educational unity in the face of crisis, heightened…

Out of the tradition of behavior analysis has come a system of behavioral measurement which is both sufficiently exact and sufficiently general to be used effectively in meeting the problems of educational accountability. The Standard Behavior Chart is a measurement tool that meets the specifications of frequency, celeration, sensitivity (in order…

High attrition rates at colleges and universities are costly to students and to institutions, in terms of money, time, effort, etc. The prediction of academic success or failure is related to the problem of accountability. In order to plan and account for certain program expenditures, it becomes imperative to predict the needs and behaviors of…

This report discusses performance contracting as one means of implementing educational accountability. It describes the planning for and main features of the Dallas, Texas, performance contract -- the Guaranteed Student Performance in Education and Training Program that uses a multifaceted approach to remove math, reading, and motivation…

This discussion of the pros and cons of educational accountability and performance contracting comments on the educational and historical context of performance contracting and indicates some directions performance contracting will take. The author warns that since performance contracting is a new tool it must be used cautiously and with skill by…

This paper discusses the role of the classroom teacher under an accountability program, and raises questions about the extent to which teachers can be held accountable in different areas of school programs. The author defines issues raised at the ACT national study conference on accountability in education, and enumerates responsibilities of…

This document, part one of a report on performance contracting, explores its basic issues and considerations and is addressed to educational decisionmakers. The evolution of performance contracting is traced and the concept as it is currently being applied in education is discussed. The second part will analyze the outcomes of some programs when…

These 3 papers explore accountability in education: implications for guidance workers; accountability -- to whom, for what; and accountability from the point of view of a chief administrator. The first paper promotes a 4 step action plan to help the practitioners of guidance "get their house in order": (1) balancing burdens with capabilities; (2)…

Recent developments in faculty organization and accountability are discussed separately in terms of their implications for evaluation of academic programs and departments. Faculty organization is examined in relation to each components' (individual faculty members, departments, colleges, and other assorted units) accessibility to and utilization…

The thrust of this report is the necessity for educational planning to serve the population projected for Colorado in the future. This report analyzes the size and nature of the population of this state in the years to come and measures the educational effort that must be made to meet expressed needs. The population is analyzed with respect to…

the steps taken by a large urban school district to develop and implement an objectives-based curriculum with criterion-referenced assessment of student progress are described. These steps include: goal setting, development of curriculum objectives, construction of assessment exercises, matrix sampling in test administration, and reporting of…

School boards cannot account to the public unless they measure and assess the performance of school administrators and teachers. From the board's viewpoint, accountability (and therefore evaluation) must concentrate on the school superintendent. This evaluation must be carried out in an atmosphere of commitment and mutual trust, the procedures and…