Focusing on efforts at community colleges to demonstrate institutional effectiveness, this monograph presents findings from a survey of 147 colleges regarding accountability practices and showcases seven colleges with effective accountability programs. The first chapter, "Focusing on the Problem: Accountability and Effectiveness in the Community…

Two reports concerning the evaluation of language minority and limited-English-proficient students are presented. The Task D170 report provides conclusions of a written focus group on the issues involved in defining appropriate outcome variables, outcome variables to be used, and the relative importance of LEP student outcome variables for school…

The use of performance assessment for instruction and accountability and the support for its use provided by the school district were studied in three suburban school districts in Colorado, New York, and Illinois. Two were elementary and secondary districts, but the Illinois district was a high school district. All three districts have employed…

A study was done examining the experiences of four California community colleges that received pilot program grants to participate in a legislatively mandated, statewide accountability program. The participating colleges were Mount San Antonio College (Los Angeles), San Joaquin Delta College (Stockton), San Jose-Evergreen, and Santa Barbara City…

The New Jersey Assembly Education Committee studied the development and administration of the New Jersey Department of Education's skills testing program. A committee meeting received testimony about the program and reviewed correspondence. The committee has found that the academic standards of the state must be raised and that a high school…

In addition to its routine responsibilities, the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) has identified special goal areas based on issues of high priority for the Illinois Community College System (ICCS) related to the Board's mission and philosophy. For 1993 and 1994, eight goals were identified: (1) accountability, i.e., to document the…

This paper takes the position that shrinking resources and increasing accountability have forced counselors to reassess the role of evaluation. This new role should afford evaluation a higher priority so that it becomes as much a part of counseling as the interpersonal skills that currently form the bulk of counselor training programs. Some…

This book is the culmination of extensive discussion among a panel of economists led by Eric A. Hanushek. The panel argues that improvement of schools depends more on better uses of resources than on the provision of added funds. The book outlines a plan to improve school performance without increasing expenditures. Specifically, it calls for more…

The appropriateness and usefulness of indicators used on the Progress Profiles of the Louisiana State Department of Education were studied using data from 1,336 public regular education schools in Louisiana. Categorization variables considered included socioeconomic and demographic indicators and school size and type. School effectiveness…

This report discusses the differences between universities and business institutions and why they are different in handling their affairs. The premise of the report is that public universities must become more transparent if they are to receive adequate support from interested parties. Five main areas are discussed in a comparative assessment…

Roles suggested for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in proposed national testing are discussed. Recent proposals center around monitoring, evaluation and accountability, and serving as a benchmark for other tests. Monitoring has been the traditional function of the NAEP, and in this role, its influence has been substantial.…

Recently South Dakota initiated a statewide report card system, which publicizes school data such as teacher-student ratios and student scores on the Stanford Achievement Test. A survey of South Dakota superintendents on their opinions about the new system was returned by 178 superintendents (74 percent of total), of whom 57 administered small…

This handbook, based on an address given by James R. Smith, a former deputy superintendent of public instruction in the California State Department of Education, describes the elements of California's strategic approach for lasting school reform. The assertion is made that lasting, positive, and major changes in schools require that state…

An analysis was made of the methods being used to assess the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) of 1990. Although no single assessment plan has been developed, various activities are aimed at studying both the implementation and the impact of the law. Four assessment efforts are described as conducted by the following groups: (1) the Office of…

The San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) Summit that focused on the education and academic achievement of African American students was unique because the school district and the African American community came together as partners to seek ways to improve the educational status of African American students. This report tells the story of…