This report provides Rutgers University's policy regarding its commitment to research and graduate education. Briefly examined are some external developments requiring imaginative and aggressive responses on the part of the university so that the school can maintain its position among the top echelon of research universities in the United States.…

Effective-schools researchers have identified factors that are correlated with improved school achievement. School districts and state departments of education have applied this research to school improvement frameworks. This paper describes how Effective Schools Research was employed to develop a questionnaire to assess school staff perceptions…

The Kentucky Tech Prep Evaluation system was developed to establish and maintain a database and data analysis for assessment of the effectiveness of tech prep programs in achieving specific goals and in helping schools improve cognitive and noncognitive performance as reflected in the Kentucky Instructional Results Information System (KIRIS)…

This document presents findings of an audit of 17 Texas school districts, conducted during spring 1993. The audit used the Savings Profile System, which is based on the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) data, to identify potential cost-saving opportunities for each district. It is conservatively estimated that school districts…

This report presents a review and evaluation of the accountability plans in public postsecondary education as they relate to the mission and goals of postsecondary institutions. A review of current accountability activities found that existing legislation and institutional responses do not sufficiently embody the kinds of characteristics that…

As part of a qualitative study of education reform in four rural Kentucky school districts, this report examines instructional changes that have occurred in the upper primary grades as a result of the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA). Researchers interviewed 13 principals, 37 teachers, and 14 eighth-grade students; observed 73 teachers working…

Identification of schools for improvement of Chapter 1 Programs raises the challenge of selecting the best technical procedures meeting the law and usefully guiding improvement efforts. Failure to demonstrate gains in student achievement has been operationalized on two levels: aggregate performance and desired outcomes. Aggregate performance…

This brief describes new requirements for vocational education program improvement and evaluation mandated by the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act of 1990. Recommendations to enhance the impact of program improvement and evaluation activities are included. The first two sections discuss developing new state…

From fall 1985 to fall 1991, the enrollment mix at the Community College of Denver (CCD) has grown to reflect the diverse center city population that the college serves, including increases in the percentages of minorities and women. The changing CCD student body presents new challenges to the college's academic and student support programs. The…

This 1992 annual report provides evidence of changes being implemented in Kentucky school districts and individual schools. Information is provided on the following: educational finance, assessment, the Education Professional Standards Board, exceptional children, extended school services, family resource/youth services centers, multicultural…

A study examined the performance measures and standards implemented by each of the 50 states to comply with Section 115 of the 1990 Perkins Act. Data were gathered through workshops and telephone conversations with contact persons from each state and from an analysis of relevant state-supplied documentation. The performance measures and standards…

This theme issue of "Update on Gifted Education" brings together accounts of diverse efforts being made to encourage excellence and equity in schools. A dialogue with Lionel R. Meno, Commissioner of Education in Texas, stresses how services for gifted students fit into the larger picture of addressing the needs of all students, examines…

This document presents findings of a study that examined the use of strategic planning by Utah schools and school districts. Enacted in 1992, the Utah State Strategic Plan (USSP) authorized and encouraged school districts and schools to engage in strategic planning activities. Data were obtained through telephone interviews with all 40 Utah school…

Six papers discuss the Louisiana School Effectiveness and Assistance Pilot (SEAP) program, an ongoing 3-year research project associated with a legislatively mandated school and district accountability program. In three phases, the project joins school indicators, school effectiveness, and school improvement initiatives. The following papers are…

This report discusses the findings of a study that attempted to investigate the participation rates of students with disabilities in the Oregon statewide testing program. The study joined individual student data from the Oregon Statewide Assessment Program and the Oregon Special Education Child Count to examine participation rates. The report…