Examines Canadian education in general, and then focuses on the particular concerns of English as a Second Language (ESL). Presents items, events, and observations illuminating the context of ESL instruction and suggests that the first level of accountability of ESL teachers is to their students, to whom they have an obligation to help realize…

Describes the mission of Society of the Sacred Heart schools, Catholic schools committed to faith, intellectual values, social awareness, community, and personal growth. Suggests that the charisma of the schools' sponsoring communities be used as a measure of accountability. Discusses the schools' five-year assessment cycle and its focus on school…

This fall, about 700 charter schools will be operating in 26 states. Superintendents acknowledge that their own role often depends on a specific state's legislation. Some districts, like two Colorado systems, offer intensive support to charters. Some superintendents find working with charters to be risky and contentious, as staff struggle to…

Examines arguments for and against pay-for-performance contracts. Focuses on a situation in which the Houston superintendent accepted a $25,000 performance bonus for increasing districtwide performance. Presents findings of a nationwide survey of superintendents and school board members. (LMI)

There are numerous examples of small, self-governing schools of choice that successfully serve high-risk students in both public and private sectors. Good schools are filled with particulars that explain their surprising successes. Strong democratic schooling needs new forms of horizontal accountability focused on a school's collective work. A New…

Teams of seasoned teachers and administrators were assigned to a group of low-performing North Carolina schools each year to work with the local faculty to help turn around these schools. Provides a description of the assistance teams, how they were developed, and how they work. (Author/MLF)

All college faculty have the responsibility of understanding whatever professional assessments their students must undertake to enter a profession. The results of these and other student evaluations can show faculty how to improve their own teaching by aligning curriculum and instruction with professional standards and ensuring that students can…

Presents reviews and abstracts of 11 articles that examine the following topics: math education, school accountability, instructional improvement, linkage problems between secondary and postsecondary education, the connection between learning-related social skills and academic outcomes, class size, school restructuring, support services for…

Examines the emerging context for state policies and practices that focus on college students' learning outcomes, exploring various state efforts that can potentially influence undergraduate students' outcomes (e.g., funding, academic programming, staffing, and accountability). Strategies to enhance policy effectiveness in this arena emphasize…

This article examines the undesirable social and vocational ramifications associated with the use of a single high-stakes test to assess the academic proficiencies of students with disabilities and the present discriminatory nature of the required performance on one standardized exam. Alternative assessments are discussed. (Contains references.)…

The number of school boards in Canada has been radically reduced over the past 7 years. During this period, governance roles and responsibilities also have been redefined. Since 1995, 9 of Canada's 10 provinces have gone through a consolidation process mandated by provincial legislators, mainly for cost efficiency. (MLF)

Relates why educators should embrace tests as tools for transforming teaching and learning. States that rigorous and meaningful testing can help ensure the academic achievement of all students. Further, useful education assessments must make clear what they measure, and they must measure what educators value most. (Contains six references.) (WFA)

Undergraduate study programs in the United States, Great Britain, and Europe are compared. Assessment strategies are offered for use in addressing demands for evidence of accountability and concerns about quality facing Western universities. These countries should jointly study the peer review process as an assessment tool. (TJH)

Trustees of theological institutions must be aware of the tension that exists for the seminary: the church's concern for the proper representation of its tradition in seminary teaching. A balance must be found for the often competing interests of their respective churches and American higher education. (Author/MSE)

Trends over the past 25 years calling for accreditation, program evaluation, and outcomes assessment for higher education institutions are briefly reviewed. The cooperative market model of institutional research and self-study is outlined, which involves cooperation among institutions, accrediting bodies, state departments of education, and state…