The second of two conferences on adult literacy focused on the broader contexts of adult literacy. That is, lack of basic skills is not a problem in a vaccum but is bound up with people's other problems and needs and the forces shaping their lives; likewise, efforts to teach basic skills must be viewed in relation to the local, state, and national…

Accountability has been a developing issue for community colleges for the past several years. Demands that two-year colleges provide evidence of the achievement of their goals has placed a heavy burden on institutional research offices. A number of organizational models have been used by community colleges in carrying out the research function,…

After discussing the demand for public accountability in Australian education, the first section of this paper treats the scope of accountability and details the responsibilities of a state minister of education, other key administrators, schools and teachers, and the national system itself. The second section examines what the public wants to…

More than 20 states have adopted some form of regulation-relief legislation for their public schools. Two major issues confront the movement to deregulate the schools. The first is that there have been surprisingly few takers of regulation waivers; and second, whether, even if current deregulation efforts are successful, the end result is really…

An analysis of the evaluation of partnership programs with a focus on accountability is the purpose of this paper. Research for the book, "Partnerships in Education: Measuring Their Success," entailed a survey of various partnership leaders from education, business, government, and nonprofit organizations. The survey results are discussed in this…

The conference reported in this document was attended by representatives of seven states (Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New Mexico, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington). Participants focused on three key questions: (1) what are the issues and objectives behind assessment in each state? (2) what can be done regarding the implementation of…

An overview of accountability in public education is presented in this publication. Contents include a review of recent accountability efforts, an outline of a comprehensive accountability model, an analysis of accountability strategies, and a discussion of means for incorporating system indicators into the larger systemic framework. A conclusion…

Based on 18 months of extensive research and study, the New Mexico State Department of Education developed the Staff Accountability Plan to address the issue of teacher accountability and certification. This plan, which consists of three provisions, came into existence as a result of concern expressed by the general public, legislators, and…

Factors that have led to post-tenure evaluation of faculty are considered, along with limitations of tenure in general and current post-tenure evaluation practices. Positions of advocacy and opposition to post-tenure evaluation are identified, along with practical considerations that institutions might consider before modifying or implementing a…

In August 1985, the Commission on California State Government Organization and Economy initiated a study of California's community college system to assess the adequacy of financial accountability in the system. Two hearings, interviews, and analyses of extensive data, yielded the following findings: (1) 25% of the community college districts had…

The report updates aspects of the 1977 report on California's Master Plan for Special Education. Reasons are sought for the intense debate over state funding for special education, which has substantially increased over recent years while special education enrollments have increased only modestly. In visits to nearly 100 local education agencies,…

Prompted by the increased possibility of teachers facing educational malpractice charges, this paper outlines the historical legal precedents through which plaintiffs have sought recognition for this new cause of action, the defenses established against it, and the rationale on which various courts have balanced their decisions. The paper also…

The Value-Added Program at Northeast Missouri State University is discussed. The value-added approach emphasizes the use of existing resources to enhance student learning, as well as the evaluation of student learning and personal development through regular assessment. To indicate the need for a value-added approach, the current crises…

A model for assuring quality in the development of course objectives and classroom and exit examinations is presented. The model was based on a pilot study with 131 faculty at the University of Central Florida. It was found that 91% of teaching faculty create 100% of the tests they use to evaluate student performance. The faculty seemed to use…

Limited to periodical literature, this annotated bibliography on school finance contains 81 references grouped in 5 categories: (1) policy and politica issues, (2) federal government, (3) state issues, (4) aid to nonpublic schools, and (5) accountability. Following the bibliographic citations, annotations range from 4 to 15 lines and conclude by…