Around the world there is a preoccupation with improving the performance of schools and school systems. Comparisons made between countries through PISA and PERLs have led to a preoccupation, and in some cases, an obsession, with securing a high position in the international league tables. The minds of policy-makers and politicians alike are…

Purpose: The use of teams in organizations given the current trend toward globalization, population changes, and an aging workforce, especially in high-income countries, makes the issue of diverse team building critical. The purpose of this paper is to explore the issue of team diversity and team performance through the examination of theory and…

"The Program Evaluation Standards," established by 16 professional associations, identify evaluation principles that should result in improved program evaluations that address utility, propriety, feasibility, and accuracy. This digest summarizes these standards. Guidelines and illustrative cases to assist in meeting these standards are…

This document analyzes the inspection reports of the five further education (FE) colleges in Britain that have achieved a grade of 1 for quality assurance (QA), identifies key lessons for the improvement of programs in other FE colleges, and refers to helpful FE publications. The five colleges consisted of two general FE colleges, one sixth-form…

Stakeholders in Taiwan's process for reviewing and approving senior vocational school (SVS) textbooks were surveyed to identify ways of improving the process. The questionnaire contained items examining respondents' demographic characteristics, their opinions of Taiwan's existing SVS textbook review and approval process, and suggestions for…

This study assessed the state of intramural-recreational (IR) programs at Peru State College (Nebraska) and offered suggestions for the improvement of existing IR programs. The existing IR sports program is directed by a part-time adjunct staff member with the aid of student assistants and receives limited support. Upgrading the directorship of…

The Indiana Free Library Literacy Program had two major goals during Fiscal Year 1989: to maintain and expand the present services and to extend the existing literacy program. Tutors were recruited through public service announcements and extensive free coverage in the Indiana Gazette. Four tutor training workshops were held to train 40 new…

These hearings transcripts present testimony concerning the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education (ESA) Act, which, since 1965, has provided the bulk of federal aid to elementary and secondary schools and related programs. Much of the testimony was from Vermont education officials, school administrators, teachers, consultants,…

The fundamental question for those concerned with high quality services for people with severe disabilities is how resources can best be used to assist these individuals to live better lives. The question of how to assist in creation of better lives tests and builds leadership. Leadership involves mobilizing people's resources to make progress on…

This report summarizes discussions from two round-table seminars exploring federal programs that affect children and families. Ideas presented in this report are organized around five topics: (1) symptoms of fragmented federal programs for children and families; (2) why coordinated services for children and families are so rare; (3) what Congress…

This document contains a summary of the statement of Clarence C. Crawford, Associate Director, Education and Employment Issues, Human Resources Division of the U.S. General Accounting Office. The Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) provides on-the-job training (OJT). Under OJT arrangements, employers provide training in a particular occupation for…

This document is a transcript of oral and written testimony given by witnesses at a Congressional hearing that examined veterans' employment and training programs administered by the Department of Labor, and H.R. 4087, a bill to amend certain aspects of those programs. (H.R. 4087 aims to make employment counseling available to veterans and to…

The purposes of this study were (1) to develop a profile of the disadvantaged student and (2) to arrive at an estimate of how many vocational students in New Hampshire may be eligible for services under the Vocational Education Amendments of 1976. Two different populations participated in the study. The first group was composed of 49 subjects of…

This study relates the effect evaluations had on changes in existing guidance programs. Ohio schools (n=20) that had completed an evaluation the previous year were studied. Of the 357 recommendations made to the evaluated schools, nearly one-third were fully implemented within one year and another one-third were in process of implementation.…

Describes a simple observational method for recording and evaluating the caregiving behavior of teachers of younger and older infants that may be used to foster program improvement. (ED)