This handbook is intended to assist governing boards of higher education institutions in using key indicators (quantitative or qualitative information that describes the condition of some aspect of the institution) to: evaluate the strategic position of their institutions, compare the institution to its peers, and monitor changes in its condition…

Low cost or no cost ideas for programs in smaller rural schools are listed. Areas covered include public relations, special programs and curriculum. Based on the experience of a small school district in Elizabeth, Illinois, these ideas include the school's relationship to students, faculty and the community; extracurricular activities relating to…

This paper, one of a series of topic papers assessing federal laws and programs affecting persons with disabilities, addresses the issue of housing. Major federal responsibilities are to develop additional housing opportunities for persons with disabilities and to assure that currently available housing is equally open to individuals with…

This report shows how new technological tools or devices are being used in adult education and training; it examines the evidence of their effectiveness and costs; and it suggests prospects for the future use of technologies. Particular attention is given to uses with displaced and employed workers needing basic skills, high school diplomas, and…

The North Carolina Division of School Planning conducted an educational survey of Cleveland County Schools. An architect and an engineer evaluated and rated each facility and site. The report of findings recommends reorganizing the merged school system into a K-5, 6-8, and 9-12 configuration, to improve instructional offerings for particular…

An estimated 25 million American workers will need to upgrade their skills during the 1990s if the U.S. economy is to stay competitive. The contribution of computers and electronic technology to productivity in education still remains to be proved. In the 1990s, technology for adult basic skills training will mean interactivity, multimedia, and…

Justification for school district consolidation is made on the basis of either reducing cost or increasing educational quality. Some cost reduction may be realized through certain economies of scale in some consolidations but it is by no means automatic. The Illinois State Board of Education emphasizes the relationship between high school size and…

Developed for application in Air Force weapons systems training programs, a research project investigated the methods, procedures, and data available for conducting cost and training effectiveness analyses (CTEA). The primary objective of the project was to develop a user-oriented procedure for early formulation of training programs that can be…

A study team researched impediments to the use of modern skill training methods in construction that have been caused by the U.S. Department of Labor. The problem that the study sought to define was whether the Labor Department impedes use of training innovations through the combined effect of the regulations promulgated by its Bureau of…

The advantages and disadvantages of the year-round school fall into three major categories: financial, educational, and professional. Financial advantages are based on the postponement of construction costs and the use of existing school facilities and equipment to serve a larger number of students. Financial disadvantages include a rise in…

A study by the United States General Accounting Office found that successful organizations incorporate in their capital budgeting process extensive links between planning and budgeting, up-to-date information on existing capital facilities, and consideration of long-term effects in making capital budgeting decisions. This paper recommends the…

The Open University offers part-time courses for adults by means of a multimedia distance teaching system. By adopting an open admissions policy and offering undergraduate courses, it is aiming for excellence and equality on a cost-effective basis. The university does appear to have achieved a high academic standard, both in its courses and its…

The Cooperative Assessment of Experiential Learning project (CAEL) has developed general principles for assessment of prior experiential learning which can be adapted for local circumstances and individual learning. An overview of the basic principles of good assessment practice, as represented in current CAEL publications, is provided. Procedural…

This project was part of the Portland High Impact Program and had as its goal a 60 percent reduction in burglary losses over a three-year period to be attained by installing centrally-monitored, silent, anti-intrusion devices in eleven schools. Comparison with eleven control schools indicates that the alarm system has demonstrated effectiveness in…

Specific cost areas are examined for 100 private, four-year colleges having a full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment of fewer than 3,000 students. A questionnaire was distributed to each of the institutions to gather the data presented here. The purpose of the study was to compare costs and cost factors of small colleges. Five categories of expense…