Demands for educational cost accountability and containment call for careful analysis of costs in delivering special services. Discussed are problems in compiling state and local educational expenditures; methods of categorizing costs between regular and special education; and the Resource Cost Model, which utilizes a program as its unit of…

Many educators are expressing doubts about the propriety and timeliness of the movement to legislate and mandate institutional accountability, but the trend continues with encouraging results. (MSE)

Suggests that reading educators need to change several pervasive attitudes in order to translate current reading research into more effective instruction. (JC)

Elementary school principals rated attitudes and behaviors concerning the utilization of student achievement data: (1) commitment to influencing student achievement; (2) control in utilizing student achievement data; (3) use of data to evaluate programs and teachers; (4) effectiveness and accountability in use of data; and (5) principals' own…

Discusses the recent phenomenon of educational malpractice as a legal versus a political issue. Notes difficulties of educational malpractice suits with respect to establishing negligence and fraudulent misrepresentation. Discusses two types of malpractice cases and defines four principles that administrators and educators should follow to avoid…

It is unwise to give even a philosophically competent school head the power to set curriculum policy. In a democratic society that power should be held by the community rather than by technocrats because of the possibility of authoritarian abuse by specialists not accountable to the larger community. (IS)

The summer duties of a vocational agriculture teacher are grouped into four general categories (supervising and teaching, professional development, Future Farmers of America activities, and updating and maintenance of the department). Specific activities within these categories are listed. (MS)

Every public university is engaged now in serious and ongoing accountability appraisal with significant time and resources dedicated to the task. The academy's commitment to accountability is real. Focusing on accountability for undergraduate education, one of several important functions of public universities satisfies a need, but it should not…

The Southern Regional Education Board was the first education organization in the nation to stress that states not only should set goals for education but also should measure progress toward those goals and monitor trends. Now, the SREB Challenge to Lead Goals for Education in the 21st century make a dramatic statement: "SREB states can lead the…

State and federal laws mandate that local educational agencies equip students who have limited English proficiency with the English language skills necessary to succeed in all academic content areas. In efforts to comply with both state and federal law, the Arizona State Department of Education (ADE) has developed a mechanism to identify, assess,…

To assist in the redesign of accountability systems, the Consortium for Policy Research in Education (CPRE) and the Center for Research on Evaluation, Student Standards, and Testing (CRESST) sought to assemble knowledge from new research on emerging accountability systems. A book, "Redesigning Accountability Systems for Education," edited by Susan…

Every year, across the country, a dangerously high percentage of students--disproportionately poor and minority--disappear from the educational pipeline before graduating from high school. Nationally, only about 68% of all students who enter 9th grade will graduate "on time" with regular diplomas in 12th grade. While the graduation rate…

On June 9, 2005, the Board of Governors adopted the State University System of Florida Strategic Plan 2005-2013. This plan provides for a systematic and ongoing evaluation of the quality and effectiveness of state universities. As established in the Strategic Plan, goals for the system for 2012-2013 include: Goal 1: Access to and production of…

This report sheds light on the use of contract teachers with a particular focus on Cambodia, Nicaragua and India--countries that have all relied on contract teachers at some point. The report documents the use of contract teachers in Cambodia, Nicaragua and India and outlines the experience of contract teachers in West Africa. It also discusses…

The State Accountability Plan submitted on May 1, 2003 and revised on June 3, 2003 details the proposed policies and procedures relating to the District of Columbia Public Schools State Education Agency (DCPS-SEA) Assessment and Accountability Policy. It includes the development, implementation and monitoring of a comprehensive accountability…