Article seeks to define the middle school'' and show the validation of its existence through recognized channels of accountability. (Author/GB)

Ratings from the Institutional Functioning Inventory (IFI) by faculty and administrators at the University of Northern Colorado were compared with group norms in the article; two tables of statistical data were included. (BB)

Institutional researchers need to be aware of the theoretical and normative assumptions they hold regarding the character of institutional behavior. Many people's concepts about the nature of institutional "intelligence,""resources,""goals," and "problems" appear faulty based on contemporary organizational theory and may lead to misdiagnosing…

Building on the main themes presented in this volume, explores their implications for institutional research. Their underlying premise is that institutional research could and should play a critical role in advancing the knowledge management paradigm. Looks at the advantages and challenges of knowledge management from an institutional research…

The process used by community-college leaders in making decisions is very important, given the complexity and significance of their decisions to institutional quality and effectiveness. This article explores the degree to which leaders utilize research in their decision-making, the sources and usefulness of the research, and how the base of…

My book, "Creating Entrepreneurial Universities", based on mid-1990s research in five European universities, set forth five "pathways of transformation" by which public universities assume a highly proactive stance. On the basis of further research that tracks developments in these institutions during the late 1990s, this paper…

The use of geographic information systems (GIS) has seen a steady increase since the first PC-based GIS software was developed in the latter half of the 1980s. Prior to that, GIS was run on mainframe computers and was a relatively crude and arcane technology by today's standards. This chapter introduces key concepts, tools, data sources, and types…

This chapter shows how institutional researchers can make use of geographic information systems (GIS) to improve the quality of their surveys and extract more information from their results. GIS can contribute to at least three stages of the survey process: (1) survey design (through a better understanding of the population being surveyed); (2)…

This paper presents the U.S. Department of Education's Fiscal Year (FY) "2010 Annual Performance Report" (APR). This report provides detailed information on: (1) the status of strategic goals, and (2) the outcomes of the strategic performance measures identified in the Department's "FY 2007-2012 Strategic Plan" and updated previously in the "FY…

This report lists RTI International's efforts to improve education around the world by strengthening education system management. Projects are organized based on the following themes: (1) Conducting research to inform the education policy process; (2) Promoting education reform and policy support; (3) Facilitating and enabling participation; (4)…

This brief presents a review of alternative education programs targeting students with disabilities. Because there is no clear picture of how alternative education programs operate, specifically regarding youth with disabilities, the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) funded three grants to develop a…

This paper reports on a study visit organised under the auspices of the AUA's UK/Canada Exchange Scheme, which provided an opportunity to visit the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary and the Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia (Vancouver) over a four-week period. As Canada and the UK demonstrate…

A partnership of state, local and federal public safety agencies, secondary and postsecondary educational institutions, and professional and educational associations, the National Partnership for Careers in Law, Public Safety, Corrections and Security also serves as the lead organization for the Law, Public Safety, Corrections and Security Career…

The path from environmental regulation to sustainable institutions has not been a smooth one. By the 1960s, it was clear that the environment was in trouble, with severe air and water pollution, the casual disposal of toxic waste, mountains of garbage, and the loss of many species of plants and animals. The response was a series of restrictive…