One of a series of papers resulting from a Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) project to improve evaluation and planning in community colleges, this working paper presents a plan of purposes and activities to experimentally test a model of delineation of responsibilities among accrediting commissions, state agencies, and…

The history of the U.S. Office of Education's (OE) relationship with private accrediting agencies is traced. "Criteria for Nationally Recognized Accrediting Agencies and Associations" have been used to determine which accrediting agencies and associations are reliable authorities for identifying the quality of training offered by…

As part of a student flow project designed to monitor the progress of students who entered Kapiolani Community College (KCC) in Fall 1980 for five consecutive semesters, a survey was conducted of the 753 Fall 1980 entering students who did not re-enroll in Spring 1981. The survey instrument asked respondents to: (1) indicate their main reason for…

To help school staffs, students, parents, and community members understand and apply accreditation processes, ten booklets outline the new accreditation procedures adopted by the Washington State Board of Education for individual elementary and secondary schools. The booklets contain forms, checklists, and explanatory materials for two general…

Action taken by the State of Maryland to regulate out-of-state higher education institutions and the status of such institutions for the academic year 1979-80 are examined. Twenty-three institutions previously approved to operate in Maryland received the revised regulations and an initial application to operate during the academic year 1979-80.…

This report contains the observations made by a trio of external evaluators who conducted an on-site evaluation of the Columbus Teacher Center. A wide range of educational evaluation areas were explored. The report represents a description of current practices, strengths, concerns, and recommendations as viewed by the evaluation team. Educational…

BORN FREE is a project designed as a collaborative effort of university-based counseling psychologists and field-site educators to reduce career-related sex stereotyping in educational institutions and to broaden the range of career options for women and men. This summary of the early efforts of BORN FREE in 9 of those 14 institutions presents…

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-112), as amended (P.L. 93- 516), mandates equal opportunity for qualified handicapped persons in education programs, and activities of all recipients of federal financial assistance. Section 504 is a civil rights statute that prohibits descrimination on the basis of handicap, obligates…

Reports on the results of an evaluation of the Illinois Community College Board's recognition process, by which community colleges are judged to be in compliance with state standards. Discusses administrators' perceptions of the effectiveness of the preparation, on-site visit, and reporting phases of the recognition process. Suggests enhancements.…

Significant changes made in the French university system in a brief period, affecting teaching, curriculum, degree programs, and institutional evaluation, are examined to determine whether they represent a break from or continuation of an earlier situation. Issues underlying current trends are also discussed. (MSE)

The 1977 court case of a Nebraska home school that was not accredited and not approved by the Department of Education is reviewed and the State's position summarized. Nebraska regulations for exempting schools from accreditation requirements are explained. Comments are made on trends in home schools and private education in Nebraska. (PS)

The focus of this brief is student success: To what extent can the accreditation process drive significant improvement in student persistence and completion at institutions that undergo the peer review process, particularly for students from groups traditionally underrepresented in higher education? Because this inquiry is in service to Achieving…

This document chronicles the assessment activities at St. Louis Community College (SLCC), Missouri, that were part of a 5-year plan adopted in 1999. The plan was a response to the North Central Association's (NCA) recommendation that SLCC receive 10 years of accreditation as a single institution (until the 2007-2008 school year), contingent upon a…

This self-study report from Metropolitan Community College (MCC) (Nebraska) was submitted to the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools for continuous accreditation. Report highlights and statistics include: (1) the College's 3 campuses and 2 centers serve an area of 1,496 square miles and an estimated…

This paper presents information regarding the five critical success factors for institutional effectiveness identified by the Connecticut Community-Technical Colleges. These factors are: (1) career education; (2) general study; (3) transfer; (4) community service; and (5) student support services. The Performance Measures Review Team also points…