Quality as a political goal for public higher education is discussed, and its fuller acceptance at the state over the federal level is noted. Federal policy is driven by values associated with access, need, and equity. State leaders are using a rhetoric of quality and excellence, incentives for high achievement, rigor, and merit. One reason the…

The book discusses current issues and trends in special education programming at the secondary level. An introductory chapter by Cynthia L. Warger outlines service delivery program models and the range of curriculum content options. In Chapter 2, Janet Sansone focuses on the issue of accountability in secondary education as it relates to…

In 1972, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia instituted the Regents' Testing Program (RTP) to provide systemwide information on the status of student competence in reading and writing and to provide a uniform means of identifying those students who fail to attain minimum levels of competence in these areas. Since 1972, some…

Important issues and technical problems related to assessing the financial health of colleges and universities are described, along with implications of financial health assessment for state policy-making. It is proposed that a distinction be made between the assessments of financial health and program success. Other issues that should be…

This paper examines the use of the peer review system in evaluating out-patient clinical services for a third-party payer seeking justification for payment of services. Peer review is defined as a process by which one professional, in an official capacity, makes a judgment about a co-professional in a matter involving professional functioning. The…

A survey of 118 school superintendents, principals, and board chairpersons in Washington State sought to discover their perceptions of the effects on the state's common schools of two accountability statutes--the 1977 Basic Education ACT (BEA) and the Student Learning Objectives (SLO) Law. The administrators were asked about the laws' effects on…

Governing bodies that are quasi-rational, representative, and democratic are accountable to those they govern in much the same way that social scientists are accountable to the academic community. Since they both appeal to rationality as the basis of their actions, governments and scientists must use epistemologically adequate procedures to…

The paper focuses on differences between regular and special education and suggests ways in which the principles of P.L. 94-142 (the Education For All Handicapped Children Act) can be extended to the education of nonhandicapped students. Special education as mandated by P.L. 94-142 differs from regular education in six dimensions: mandate for…

An accountability requirement for government funds for research (the effort reporting requirement) is discussed, with attention to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-21, which regulates direct and indirect cost reimbursement to universities. Effort reporting forms are used by faculty members to allot their time among a number of…

Under the Florida A+ Accountability Program, Florida's schools are graded based on student performance on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. Previously, when schools would earn their second failing grade within four years, students assigned to these schools were offered school vouchers which parents and guardians could use to transfer…

Describes several ways to bring accountability to the student personnel field. Suggests articulating job objectives, setting up measurable goals, and following up on whether or not these goals are being met. An experimental outlook and realism about the field are encouraged for all those presently serving in student personnel offices. (PC)

A model of competency-based general education is set forth in this paper. It aspires to (1) set forth target outcomes for the general education component of a baccalaureate degree and assert a curricular strategy for their achievement; (2) justify the selection of those outcomes and curricular strategies in terms of what is known about the…

When applied to college students the term consumer protection is emotionally charged and evokes diverse images among concerned parties. A collection of essays deals with the escalating debate about the new view of college students as educational consumers. The principals in the debate are students, educators, and federal and state officials. The…

A pilot survey was conducted of employers of 300 former students trained in preparatory career education programs in Iowa. The completed questionnaires were analyzed by education program, school, and merged area. The data from the survey indicated that employers were generally pleased with the abilities of the employees when first hired. Over…

Presenting a brief historical profile, program descriptions, synopses of political issues, and a policy statement (1973), this 1975 annual report on the National Indian Youth Council includes: (1) Programs (NIYC/Comprehensive Employment and Training Act manpower development; Investigative Journalism Training Project; Ex-Offender Program; San Juan…