In 1997, the Connecticut State Department of Education awarded a grant Western Michigan University to evaluate Connecticut's charter schools and charter school initiative from 1997-2002. The study used existing databases, site visits, focus groups, and surveys to gather data regarding the movement's effectiveness, progress, and impact, examining…

In this book, several Hoover Institution scholars search for the answers to failures in U.S. schools and examine the debate over what works and what does not work. Such widely debated topics as national examinations, accountability, performance, and school funding are discussed. The importance of education to both the individual and society as a…

The Kyrgyz Republic--a remote mountainous region--is one of five former Soviet states in central Asia. This case study begins with a brief overview of the political and economic situation of the Kyrgyz Republic and its relation to aims of Soviet schooling in the 20th century. A critique of the Soviet schooling model by foreign academics before and…

Carnegie Corporation of New York and other funders are undertaking a reform initiative, "Teachers for a New Era," to stimulate construction of excellent teacher education programs at selected colleges and universities. Success will require radical change in allocation of resources, academic organization, criteria for evaluating participating…

This document is a three-part compendium of learning resources on community colleges affiliated with the State University of New York (SUNY). It begins with an introduction providing background information on the SUNY community colleges, then provides a collection of articles and reference materials concerning the colleges. Titles include:…

This report on Nova Southeastern University (NSU) fulfills a requirement by the state of Florida for participation in an accountability process. Data is presented for three broad categories: student demographics; faculty measures, including demographics, undergraduate teaching loads, contact with undergraduates, and analysis of undergraduate class…

These 11 issues discuss concerns related to child advocacy and provide information on problems in children's lives in the United States. Regular features include the editorial column "A Voice for Children," a status report on federal legislation related to children, descriptions of Children's Defense Fund activities, news from the Black…

This report documents student attendance in California's community colleges. It begins by outlining the requirements for academic calendars as they relate to student attendance. It then defines who is admissible to community colleges in California and classifies all of the possible enrollment statuses one may take. The first chapter defines which…

This collection of papers records the current state of higher education and outlines the challenges higher education will face in the new millennium. The nine chapters are as follows: (1) "The American College Student: Three Decades of Change" (Alexander W. Astin); (2) "The Changing Role of Faculty" (Gary Rhoades); (3)…

The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) of the State of Washington recently published a literature review of 20 studies that examined the common characteristics of high-performing schools. These studies include several U.S. Department of Education studies. Their research found that high-performing schools tend to have a…

The Chicago Public Education Fund operates as a venture philanthropy: It raises capital from individual and institutional donors and then provides grant funding and direct, hands-on assistance to grantees. With a grantmaking budget totaling $25 million between 2000 and 2008, it seeks to recruit and develop high-potential new teachers and aspiring…

Under the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), standardized test scores are the indicator used to hold schools and school districts accountable for student achievement. Each state is responsible for constructing an accountability system, attaching consequences--or stakes--for student performance. The theory of action implied by this…

An overview of the Educational Testing Service (ETS) of Princeton, NJ is presented. A New York State legislature truth-in-testing bill now requires: reporting of student scores and access to answer sheets, publishing of questions used, reporting on test research, and assurances of confidentiality. Implications for ETS are discussed. (MLW)

Discusses the linkage of quality with accountability in professional development programs in Australia, with specific reference to the effect on second-language teachers. The article notes that, since the introduction of the Statements and Profiles, the Australian government has stressed the need for cooperation between the various sectors…

Studies of the degree of involvement (DOI) and its relationship to therapeutic intervention effectiveness and related services for young children with cerebral palsy were reviewed. Three dimensions of DOI: (1) brain damage and mental retardation, (2) functional motor ability, and (3) emotional disturbance and behavior problems were reviewed. The…