This guide was developed as a tool for group leaders to help people in their organizations participate in local discussions about literacy quality and evaluation in Ontario, Canada, as part of the Literacy Quality Standards and Evaluation Project. The guide is organized in seven sections that cover the following topics: definition of literacy;…

As a result of increasing pressure from external constituencies, community colleges have been called upon to demonstrate accountability through assessment activities and research on institutional effectiveness based on student outcomes. Since community colleges include transient student populations, students with a wide range of ability and…

This book is the result of a research project on the most important principles, structural features, and functionalities of higher education policies in 11 developed nations around the world. Reports on each nation, are based in large part on analysis of responses to a common questionnaire by national experts in each nation. An opening chapter,…

This research synthesis provides an overview of the issues central to adult English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) programs since researchers and policymakers have shown interest in exploring new possibilities for the ESL component. The following topics are discussed of the Adult Education Act (AEA). The following topics are discussed in the report:…

The Improving America's Schools Act of 1994 substantially revised the Title I program for disadvantaged children. Some of the most far-reaching changes relate to testing and accountability. States will now need to develop their own assessments and ensure that these assessments are aligned with challenging state standards linked to educational…

Institutions of higher education are responding to increasing demands for accountability at all levels of government. The demands are also coming from regional accrediting associations in the form of a call for institutions to document their efforts in the areas of effectiveness and outcome assessment. This paper describes briefly this…

This conference proceedings provides a summary of a conference on the federal role in the financing of postsecondary education, along with nine papers commissioned for the conference. The papers include: (1) "The Federal Role in Financing Higher Education: An Economic Perspective" (Sandy Baum); (2) "Rethinking the Allocation of Pell…

In this speech, President Clinton asserts that educational enterprise is now more important than ever and that a candid assessment of it is needed. The American educational system faces unique challenges--a more diverse student population in terms of income, race, ethnicity, and background; fractured authority and financing; schools burdened by…

This institutional accountability plan and progress report for Pensacola Junior College (PJC) in Florida establishes institutional goals for 1995-96 to 1999-2000 and presents data on accountability outcomes measures for 1992-93. The report is submitted to the State Board of Community Colleges (SBCC) in compliance with Florida Statutes 240.324. The…

The key elements of promoting human traits such as building trust through proactive communication, empowering individuals, affirming civic values through diversity, serving as a symbol, and increasing accountability and responsibility as they relate to teachers and students are the focus of this article, which provides educators with useful…

Pennsylvania school reform in the decade following the publication of "A Nation at Risk" can be divided into three distinct phases. As these phases parallel those of the nation, Pennsylvania is a representative state in which to explore the nation's efforts to repair its ailing school system. The first phase was that of adding inputs, of…

This study examines the ideas and actions of Royce Pitkin, progressive educator, and president of Goddard College (Vermont) from the college's founding in 1938 to 1969, with emphasis on the period 1950 to 1967 when the author was also at Goddard. Part 1 presents analysis and interpretation in eight chapters which address: (1) the major problems…

The institutional effectiveness movement has emerged on the higher education agenda because of increased global competition, decreased funding levels, and a loss of public confidence in higher education. While the movement's emphasis on outcomes-based accountability has been integrated into state mandates, accreditation processes, and educational…

In the mid-1980's, the paradigm used by business and elected leaders for viewing higher education shifted toward an emphasis on accountability and institutional effectiveness. In general, community colleges have been more responsive than senior colleges to accountability mandates, in part because community colleges have measured their progress in…

The performance of national education systems is a growing concern in many Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. This book focuses on the assessment of school performance in seven countries: England, France, Germany, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, and the United States. The research questions include: Why are schools…