The address of the Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education before the 1983 Rural Education Association Conference reviews recent Department of Education activities in support of rural education and details the Department's rural education policy for the 80's. Characteristics of rural America and rural education are briefly…

This self-study report begins by reviewing the history of the Shafer Library at Findlay College (Ohio) from 1968 until 1978, when the staff, director, and college reexamined its goals and objectives, particularly with reference to budgetary constraints and new academic and curricular developments. The report then analyzes the functions and…

This technical paper is one of three produced by a large-scale effort aimed at implementing a new approach to measuring productivity, and using that approach to assess the impact of feedback, goal setting, and incentives on productivity. The productivity measurement system was developed for five units in the maintenance and supply areas at an Air…

An examination of the impact of principals' administrative styles on school climate and culture to explain the discrepancy between observed and quantitative analyses in principal evaluations is the purpose of this study. A 3-year study of four secondary school principals utilized qualitative methodology (observation and interviews) and…

Guidelines for administrator response to the mass media when one's organization is the focus of a news story are offered in this book. Practical suggestions are offered for the projection and enhancement of an organization's value in crisis and noncrisis situations. A common-sense communications approach is advocated regardless of organizational…

Strategic planning techniques for administrators, with a focus on process managers, are presented in this guidebook. The three major tasks of the strategic planning process include the assessment of the current organizational situation, goal setting, and the development of strategies to accomplish this. Strategic planning differs from long-range…

This paper summarizes principles of the Technology Access for Arkansans project initiated in 1989 to: (a) identify needs and quality of technology provisions in Arkansas; (b) disseminate information about appropriate technology and funding; (c) educate Arkansans about technology and advocacy; (d) develop a coordinated state plan for technology;…

The Functional Academic Skills Tests (FAST) was developed to measure the basic skills of mathematics, reading, and writing in teachers employed by the Houston, Texas, Independent School District. The three content domains were drawn from the Pre-Professional Skills Tests (PPST). These sets of skills, or proficiencies, were amplified by supporting…

Written from a conservative perspective, this handbook provides practical advice to "parent activists" who wish to organize groups to influence or oppose school policies. Each of the six "steps" is presented in a question-and-answer format, followed in certain instances by "example cases" and attachments. Step one,…

Designed as a step-by-step guide to help community based educators assess the quality of their institutions' performance and identify ways to improve that performance, this workbook provides questions and forms that can be used in comprehensive self-assessment or evaluation of a specific area of practice. Following introductory material on the…

This long-range plan was developed to guide the efforts of the community colleges of Connecticut to evaluate and, where necessary, improve the quality of its services in anticipation of coming changes in the economy, the work force, and the student population. Introductory sections describe the purpose of the plan, assert board support, and…

Many important institutional policy and practice issues related to public service in universities are discussed, including: (1) mission statements and definitions (formal mission statements and broad and narrow definitions); (2) organizational structures (centralization and decentralization); (3) leadership (line officer, staff officer, and other…

This compilation of statistical tables, promotional materials, advisory letters and related materials for students, and other information provides an overview of the activities, staffing, goals, and objectives of the Jefferson College Learning Center. The primary mission of the Learning Center is to bring the full resources of the institution to…

American Indian controlled community colleges emerged on the educational scene in the late 1960's and early 1970's. The first such college was created in 1968 and since this time ten additional colleges have been established with governing boards whose total membership is American Indian. The philosophy of the colleges emphasizes the interweaving…

To examine the contributions and procedures of regional educational laboratories, the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory (NWREL) compiled a history of its own development and compared its approaches in several critical areas to those of seven other regional laboratories. A section on the purpose and development of the laboratories provides…