This chapter distinguishes between benchmarks and benchmarking, describes a number of data and cultural limitations to benchmarking projects, and suggests that external demands for accountability are the dominant reason for growing interest in benchmarking among community colleges.

In 1991, the Missouri Business and Education Partnership presented the state's Department of Higher Education with a plan of "differentiated institutional missions," with the goal of improving public four-year colleges and universities in terms of student success, institutional effectiveness, and system wide efficiency. The objective was to have…

Successful models of statewide library consortia are evident in many locations. Academic libraries in independent institutions of higher education in Mississippi must seek alternate affiliations since they do not participate in the MAGNOLIA consortium for public institutions. What does the future hold, especially for database licensing for…

The State of Florida Department of Education provides pre-and-post-graduation data for public high school graduates throughout Florida. These data were used for the present report to produce data sets for all M-DCPS regular high schools and charter high schools graduating students in 2009 and 2010. Summary data for the district are also provided.…

Employer involvement is a crucial element in the success of school-to-work initiatives. To reach out to employers, states can do the following: target key employers and industries; foster employer ownership; give employers opportunities to recruit their peers; create or collaborate with intermediary organizations; establish partnerships with labor…

This document serves as a goals statement, a planning document, and statement of responsibility for Michigan federal documents depository libraries. The topics include goals, organization, resources, collections, services, standards, and the amendment process. Appendix A contains a directory of Michigan federal documents depository libraries, each…

The National Science Foundation is investing millions of dollars in efforts to improve math, science, and technology education through its Statewide Systemic Initiatives (SSI) program. However, states are facing difficult challenges in accurately assessing the effects of these efforts on student learning. This issue of CPRE Policy Briefs examines…

This packet, which is intended for literacy program leaders throughout Oklahoma, contains the materials developed by the Literacy Office of the Oklahoma Department of Libraries for its 1995 literacy awareness campaign. The first third of the packet is a project guide that includes the following materials: overview of Oklahoma's first statewide…

Implementation of quality indicators in the evaluation of adult education programs of 49 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico was examined. The study focused on development of measures and standards for the indicators and the impact of quality indicators on state accountability systems and program quality. Most states had completed…

This document presents the recommendations of a special Advisory Committee on Educational Options, which was charged with developing a strategic plan for educational options in California. This working document is intended to set broad goals and program directions for meeting the future needs of California's youth. The introductory section…

This paper outlines the dimensions of a customer-focused system of accountability and describes approaches taken at the state level to respond to the information needs of a broader client base for higher education. Section 1 traces current trends in the development and implementation of state-level accountability policy for higher education. It…

Proceedings of a 1988 statewide symposium on school restructuring in Nebraska are presented in this document. Part 1 contains the opening remarks made concerning Nebraska education and the status of school restructuring. Part 2 presents the addresses of three nationally recognized experts on national school restructuring perspectives. A panel of…

This report begins by describing the activities of the members of the Nebraska Information Partnerships Planning Committee as they planned for the state conference, including a Delphi survey that was conducted to identify key issues and direction for discussion at the conference, and the selection of 100 delegates. Conference activities and…

This document, which was developed by a task force whose members represent the instructional, student support service, administrative, and executive ranks of technical colleges with very diverse sizes, locations, and programs, lists 50 proposed indices of effectiveness regarding the program advisory committees (ACs) in Minnesota's technical…

This paper presents an overview and description of "significant" education legislation passed during the 1993 Utah Legislative Session. Specific attention is given to legislation that affects the governance and structure of education in the state. The centerpiece of the Governor's educational agenda and the definitive action of the 1993…