This study assessed how New Jersey's state accountability system encouraged or thwarted charter school success, how effectively performance standards were defined and enacted by authorizing agents, and how individual charter schools were developing accountability processes that made them more or less successful than their charter school…

Leading a series of in-depth technical assistance papers on improving the quality in early care and education programs, this brochure is designed to help local communities consider the most effective strategies in designing and implementing programs that improve child care quality. A quality enhancement approach is taken whereby communities begin…

This training manual introduces "Quality Analysis for Windows: A Verification Tool," personal computer software developed by the U.S. Department of Education to assist institutions of higher education in increasing the accuracy of student financial aid awards, improving campus verification procedures, and enhancing management…

Many countries have initiated quality assurance mechanisms for higher education, and more are in the process of developing quality assurance strategies. The experience of India, detailed in this case study, can provide valuable lessons for other countries. The accreditation experience of India may seem to be just 8 years old, but it must be…

This report discusses lessons learned by the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) about improving and maintaining safe, humane institutions. Chapter 1, "Why Focus on Conditions of Confinement?" explains that many facilities do not meet minimum standards of care, and discusses the role of institutional conditions and links…

The Methods Standardization Branch of the Environmental Protection Agency, National Environmental Research Center, has undertaken a program to standardize methods used in measuring air pollutants covered by the national primary and secondary air quality standards. This paper presents the results of a collective test of the method specified for…

The costs of producing an alumni magazine led to the establishment of the Alumni Magazine Consortium by John Hopkins, Rensselaer Polytechnic, Franklin and Marshall College, Worcester Polytechnic, and Hartwick College. A 16-page core of material in the center of each magazine is wrapped with a client school manuscript. (MLW)

The Quality Circle--an approach to problem solving and quality control now used in industry--can be used as well in educational situations. (JW)

Students at the University of Northern Iowa were provided with a meaningful experience in quality assurance through a term project resulting from a problem submitted by a local manufacturing plant. Students were given the responsibility of developing a quality control and inspection system that was actually installed in the plant. (SK)