Describes development and problems of contract package," an agreement between state vocational rehabilitation agencies and rehabilitation facilities for some kind of guaranteed expenditure of funds for a guaranteed level of service. (Author/AG)

Review of book by Leon Lessinger. (MB)

Author gives some historical precedents for performance contracting and educational accountability, both having been tried 100 years ago. (MB)

In study-skills courses, individualized contracts requiring students to identify nonproductive study behaviors and agree on strategies for desired change were examined for effects on attitudes toward study and achievement. Contract students improved significantly on self-reported attitudes toward study, gained better grade point averages, and…

Instructor-made quizzes, the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale, and Miskimins' Self-Goal-Other Discrepancy Scale were used to measure achievement and self-concept in this study of contract procedures and contract management. Students in the negotiated contract and teacher-managed conditions obtained significantly higher final grades than those in other…

Research presented indicates parental willingness to sign a contract might serve as a useful indicator of varying outcomes in foster care. It is recommended that use of contracts be studied in different settings and with different client populations, with adherence to the requirements of a specific contract format. (Author)

The Newark Central School District in upstate New York has established performance-based contracts. Annual raises are now based on instructional expertise, professionalism, classroom learning climate, and professional growth. In this voluntary system, which eliminates the step system, teachers meeting district standards do not lose any salary by…

Parents in Touch, the umbrella program for parent involvement in the Indianapolis (Indiana) Public Schools, was established to facilitate the kind of two-way communication that enables parents to become partners in their children's education. The program uses various approaches, including parent/teacher conferences, a dial-a-teacher assistance…

The DeLasalle Education Center in Kansas City, Missouri, accepts only students who are confirmed educational failures. The school is private, charges no tuition, and demonstrates that educational programs can succeed when the teacher and the student agree on the learning materials, how they are to be used, and the expected results. The center has…

This review defines contingency contracting and describes its theoretical basis, examines empirical studies using contingency contracts to improve various school-related behaviors, discusses potential advantages and problems, provides recommendations to assist school personnel in effectively using contingency contracts, and suggests areas in need…