This paper presents national 2000-01 data from charter schools and charter-school authorizers in the United States regarding the various stages of the accountability process: the charter application stage, the monitoring stage, and the sanctions stage. The larger accountability context of public schools and its impact on charter schools are also…

This report presents findings of an analytical study on student achievement in charter schools and the effect of state accountability regimes on charter-school performance. Data for the study were gathered from a literature review and test scores from 1999 to 2001 of both charter schools and regular public schools. The data were collected from…

The use of advanced learning technologies enables various new forms of collaborative learning and group assessment. This paper outlines a radically different model of student assessment to that traditionally used in most universities and other educational institutions. The model is particularly suited to those using, or seeking to use,…

This Distance Learning Fiscal and Statistical Report is an annual publication designed to document statistical and financial aspects of the Distance Learning Program at West Valley College (Saratoga, California). In addition to presenting comparative distance learning course statistics for the last 15 years, this report presents a thorough review…

Twenty years ago, home education was treated as a crime in almost every state. Today, it is legal all across America, despite strong and continued opposition from many within the educational establishment. This paper explores the various factors behind its success and resiliency against antagonistic social and political pressures. In the early…

The design of instructional text is an important consideration when attempting to design a successful learning environment. With the rising involvement in online distance education, it is becoming even more important to adhere to good principles of text design. The purpose of this paper is to provide a framework of possible instructional systems…

Nonprofit organizations, private foundations, and for-profit corporations interested in shaping public education regularly partner with charter schools in New York. State law allows charter schools to pursue external partners to help meet their fiscal, facilities, operational, and instructional needs. This qualitative study of 10 schools in New…

The US student population is increasing; consequently, 50,000 additional teachers will be needed within the next ten years. Overcrowded teacher education programs in traditional universities cannot guarantee the availability of necessary classes, however, and students desiring a teaching credential anticipate an extended time frame for credential…

This report presents information in a series of tables about graduation and dropout rates in Colorado in 1996 and suspension and expulsion rates in 1995-96. The 1996 graduation rate is a 4-year rate based on students who began ninth grade in 1992-93 as reported by school districts. The graduation rate for the Class of 1996 is 77.7%, an increase of…

This paper describes the professionally oriented Masters of Education degree program at Simon Fraser University, British Columbia (BC), Canada, a program that provides graduate education to cohorts of nontraditional adult learners using the idea of transformational learning. For the past several years, Simon Fraser University has offered a model…

This report discusses strategies that will help charter schools finance their facilities needs. It outlines the history of the Colorado Charter Schools Act, focusing on the contracting process, on dispute resolution and appeals, on renewal, on employee options, and on revenue allocation. The document also examines issues surrounding school…

This report consists of a state summary of Wisconsin charter schools, a description of each charter school in operation, a description of charter schools opened in 2000, and appendixes listing teaching requirements for charter schools, Wisconsin Charter School law, and the chartering authority for each charter school. The state summary includes a…

U.S. students now have four choices of schooling: public schooling, private-religious schooling, private-independent schooling, and home-schooling. Of these options, home-schooling is the most novel. Since legalization across the states in the last few decades, it has grown in importance and legitimacy as an alternative choice. Thus, it is now…

The action research reports compiled in this revised Encyclopedia focus on distance education in South Dakota. Contents include: "Designing Instruction for Distance Education: Guide to Best Practice" (Michael Simonson); "Effectiveness of Strategies Used by South Dakota Distance Education Teachers" (Jan Brockel);…

This article examines an increasingly popular alternative to government-funded voucher plans: private voucher and scholarship plans. Through the 1998-99 school year, spending on privately funded voucher programs totalled $61 million. Private vouchers began with the Golden Rule Program in Indianapolis in 1991 and was inspired by insurance CEO J.…