The state-of-the-art in 10 areas of institutional research is considered in this collection of 10 articles. Of concern are: student attrition and retention, academic program evaluation, financial issues and economic impacts of higher education, institutional self-study and regional accreditation, peer studies of institutions, statistical packages…

Drawing from site visits to 10 community colleges located in New York (New York), Miami (Florida), Cleveland (Ohio), Jacksonville (Florida), Kansas City (Missouri), Dallas (Texas), Los Angeles (California), Denver (Colorado), Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania), and Detroit (Michigan), this report traces the efforts of inner-city community colleges to…

Although there are more than 140,000 partnerships between business and education in the United States, few have effected fundamental educational change and few have had any impact on economic well-being. Having studied those partnerships that have focused on fundamental educational change, the National Alliance of Business identified what business…

Research and evaluation staff members in schools and school districts are frequently called on to answer questions about the quality of schools. Responding merely with test scores is not sufficient, because it is important to communicate information about the total educational program in the district. Additional measures are available.…

This handbook discusses the following types of parent involvement in education: (1) decision-making; (2) parents as educators; (3) advocacy; (4) school support; and (5) parent education and support. The benefits of parent involvement are outlined. Examples from New York City's 1987-88 Parent Involvement Program (PIP) demonstrate that parent…

The results are presented of the second biannual survey of the opinions of the citizens of Nevada about their schools to provide educators and policy makers with information about public concerns. This survey allows for comparison with the views expressed in 1986. A stratified random sample, based on school district population, was selected.…

This handbook draws attention to the problem of dropouts in Massachusetts and offers solutions to increase the chances that all students will succeed. It suggests the need for systemic, school-based changes to foster learning environments that meet the emotional, social, physical, and cognitive needs of all students and staff. The handbook is…

This master plan for higher education in Tennessee sketches a framework for the continued improvement of postsecondary institutions and emphasizes the critical links between higher education and other components of the state. A set of principles and achievement targets undergirding the master plan are outlined. Specific action is called for in…

The Classroom Management and Discipline Program, initiated to assist Texas school districts in improving school discipline and dropout prevention, is a statewide university/school/community partnership. Program goals are to: provide training and technical assistance to help districts maintain and improve discipline; reduce dropout rates, school…

In 1987, the Board of Education of the Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) Public Schools set goals for reducing the achievement gap between black students and white students and improving the educational outcomes of all low achievers, regardless of race. This paper summarizes programs, most involving parents, community leaders, and the corporate sector in…

Empowerment is based on the viewpoint that power shared is power multiplied. It contributes to increased school effectiveness by providing people with the opportunity and necessary resources to understand and change their world. The interactive processes by which people empower each other and benefit from them are discussed in this report.…

Because most decisions that affect quality of schools are made in the community, citizens should become school partners in education. This booklet offers the following suggestions for citizen actions: (1) Get informed. As "owners" of the local school board, citizens have a right to know what students are expected to learn. Individuals should…

On June 1, 1980, the South Carolina Department of Education, Office of Vocational Education, entered into a contractual agreement with the Governor's Office, CETA Division, for the purpose of operating a Manpower Training Coordinators Program in 10 school districts serving rural areas. The project was designed to establish and maintain effective…

Four papers focus on approaches to providing literacy education. "Language and Community Building: An Intergenerational Approach" (Gail Weinstein-Shr) describes a Temple University (Pennsylvania) program to involve volunteers in English-as-a-second-language instruction to refugee children and their elders. This program provides volunteer…

This speech presents a teacher's account of the implementation of the Standards of Excellence Program in a Denver, Colorado, elementary school. Eight questions from the assessment instrument are cited that prompted the staff to reevaluate the educational program. Results of the assessment were analyzed by a committee, and objectives were set by…