Prepared as part of a review of outcomes assessment programs at the six universities and three community colleges of the Montana University System, this report reviews existing or planned assessment initiatives and provides recommendations. Following an introduction, the historical context of outcomes assessment is described, highlighting…

since the economic difficulties of the 1980s and 1990s, community colleges have had to reconcile limited resources with open door admissions policies and a broad institutional mission. College budgets have not generally increased sufficiently to compensate for rising costs, with state-level financial support for higher education falling by 9.5% to…

This document presents a collection of materials on school performance in Maryland, especially as demonstrated in the Maryland School Performance Assessment Program (MSPAP) and the Independence Mastery Assessment Program (IMAP) for some special needs students. The MSPAP is a testing program administered to third, fifth, and eighth grade students…

This study evaluates an alternate model for middle school education, which was introduced into depressed urban settings in the 1970s by the Jesuit religious order, in two parochial middle schools, one coed and one all-male established in 1993 in an Eastern city. Comparisons of school structural characteristics, attendance figures, report card…

This theme issue includes four articles on schoolwide approaches to educational equity and improvement. "Schoolwide Projects: A Challenge for Administrators on Campuses with LEP Students" (Abelardo Villarreal) synthesizes the literature on schoolwide reform strategies used in schools that have been successful with limited-English-proficient (LEP)…

This report compares various factors associated with educational reform to student outcomes in Calumet Region (Lake and Porter Counties) in northwest Indiana. Specifically, this study examines the influence of these factors on students' educational success as measured by an index of excellence: a composite measure that includes attendance rates;…

The extent to which school mix--the social class composition of schools--influences school processes and student achievement has long been a matter of dispute. Drawing on a comparative ethnography of four New Zealand urban secondary schools, this article suggests that school mix probably does impact on school organizational and management…

The existence of a contextual effect of the social class composition of a school's intake on individual student performance--the school mix effect--has long been debated in qualitative school effectiveness literature. This paper reports on a qualitative study of four New Zealand urban secondary schools of varying social class composition (and…

The impact of student and teacher mobility on New York City (NYC) public school outcomes was examined in the context of other variables known to affect school performance. Performance data on various state mandated tests and New York State Regents' examinations for the 1990-91 academic year, selected student and teacher demographics, and student…

In 1987, Seattle Central Community College (SCCC), in Washington, began a 5-year project to gather evidence on SCCC's success in imparting knowledge, skills, and values to its students. This report represents a compilation of major assessment activities and provides brief descriptions of 10 studies on outcomes grouped by specific dimensions of…

Research was conducted to determine areas of strengths and weaknesses of the Food Service/Hospitality Management program of Ferris State University (Michigan). The study examined graduates' perceptions of the preparation they received and of the adequacy of their preparation for the hospitality industry. A literature review focused on strategies…

The management principles set forth in this handbook encourage broad public and employee involvement. The first of three sections, "Management in Education," looks at the current state of the art, the potential benefits of sound management, and what school boards can do to encourage development of a true management process for their districts. The…

Information is provided on factors associated with the effectiveness of continuation high schools in California. This Phase 2 report (following a Phase 1 study of 54 schools) is based on information gathered from 10 schools that were selected as among the more effective in the state at retaining students in school and graduating them.…

This book originally written in 1978, houses a pessimistic view of American culture that the author sees no reason to modify. The central argument is that the national faith in individual initiative and free opportunity has become a breeding ground for guilt about our own limited successes and prejudice against all who exhibit signs of failure.…

This resource manual was produced to assist the South Carolina Technical College System's efforts to improve institutional effectiveness and accountability. The first two sections of the manual provide a brief foreword, a description of state initiatives for research and academic excellence in South Carolina, the text of state legislation…