This research synthesis provides an overview of the issues central to adult English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) programs since researchers and policymakers have shown interest in exploring new possibilities for the ESL component. The following topics are discussed of the Adult Education Act (AEA). The following topics are discussed in the report:…

The Improving America's Schools Act of 1994 substantially revised the Title I program for disadvantaged children. Some of the most far-reaching changes relate to testing and accountability. States will now need to develop their own assessments and ensure that these assessments are aligned with challenging state standards linked to educational…

Institutions of higher education are responding to increasing demands for accountability at all levels of government. The demands are also coming from regional accrediting associations in the form of a call for institutions to document their efforts in the areas of effectiveness and outcome assessment. This paper describes briefly this…

This conference proceedings provides a summary of a conference on the federal role in the financing of postsecondary education, along with nine papers commissioned for the conference. The papers include: (1) "The Federal Role in Financing Higher Education: An Economic Perspective" (Sandy Baum); (2) "Rethinking the Allocation of Pell…

In this speech, President Clinton asserts that educational enterprise is now more important than ever and that a candid assessment of it is needed. The American educational system faces unique challenges--a more diverse student population in terms of income, race, ethnicity, and background; fractured authority and financing; schools burdened by…

This institutional accountability plan and progress report for Pensacola Junior College (PJC) in Florida establishes institutional goals for 1995-96 to 1999-2000 and presents data on accountability outcomes measures for 1992-93. The report is submitted to the State Board of Community Colleges (SBCC) in compliance with Florida Statutes 240.324. The…

The key elements of promoting human traits such as building trust through proactive communication, empowering individuals, affirming civic values through diversity, serving as a symbol, and increasing accountability and responsibility as they relate to teachers and students are the focus of this article, which provides educators with useful…

Pennsylvania school reform in the decade following the publication of "A Nation at Risk" can be divided into three distinct phases. As these phases parallel those of the nation, Pennsylvania is a representative state in which to explore the nation's efforts to repair its ailing school system. The first phase was that of adding inputs, of…

This study examines the ideas and actions of Royce Pitkin, progressive educator, and president of Goddard College (Vermont) from the college's founding in 1938 to 1969, with emphasis on the period 1950 to 1967 when the author was also at Goddard. Part 1 presents analysis and interpretation in eight chapters which address: (1) the major problems…

The institutional effectiveness movement has emerged on the higher education agenda because of increased global competition, decreased funding levels, and a loss of public confidence in higher education. While the movement's emphasis on outcomes-based accountability has been integrated into state mandates, accreditation processes, and educational…

In the mid-1980's, the paradigm used by business and elected leaders for viewing higher education shifted toward an emphasis on accountability and institutional effectiveness. In general, community colleges have been more responsive than senior colleges to accountability mandates, in part because community colleges have measured their progress in…

The performance of national education systems is a growing concern in many Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. This book focuses on the assessment of school performance in seven countries: England, France, Germany, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, and the United States. The research questions include: Why are schools…

This paper reports on the implementation of an Integrated Assessment and Strategic Planning (IASP) process to comply with accountability requirements at the community college of New Mexico State University at Alamogordo. The IASP model adapted an existing compliance matrix and applied it to the business college program in 1995 to assess and…

In an effort to effect institutional change through an analysis of institutional effectiveness, California's Fresno City College (FCC) undertook a 3-year project to examine student success. In order to determine appropriate measures of and methodologies for improving student success, a Student Success Task was established, developing 13 core…

The magnitude of student mobility was examined in the Texas public schools by reporting how many students are moving, when and where they are moving, and who is moving, and by clarifying the relationships between mobility and academic performance at the individual student, campus, and district levels. While the study's primary focus was on…