The role of increased teacher unionization during the current period of reform in Australian education is examined critically. It is argued that conventional industrial-style unionization is not supportive of educational values and that a more inclusive model of educational accountability is needed. (Author/MSE)

Examines the British government's goal of introducing criterion-referenced, formative student evaluation in primary schools. Reports on a case study in which the reliability of a Standard Assessment Task was examined in three second-grade classrooms. Questions whether or not the decision to drop the task from the test was correct. (CFR)

Discusses a study of 11 high school physical educators, their teaching, and their programs, drawing conclusions about their work based on the findings of similar research. The article includes implications for high school physical education, staff development, and physical education teacher education. (SM)

Examines education-related strategies endorsed by a committee mandated to develop a plan of action to secure Canada's future economic and social well-being. Describes current educational attempts to meet objectives that involve balancing equity, efficiency, and effectiveness with social, economic, and educational concerns. (LP)

Contends that sound professional judgment and conduct depend upon sound ethical judgment and conduct. The article examines ethics and professional judgment from the perspective of making ethical executive and administrative decisions rather than of classroom instruction and evaluation. Steps toward making educational practice more rational and…

A survey of the educational outcomes of master's programs in social work (64 responses) found that knowledge acquisition is generally evaluated course-by-course, with traditional methods; qualifying examinations for advanced study are not common; and only a third of institutions conduct comprehensive examinations. Accountability implications are…

Implementation of schoolwide projects in Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) illustrates some of the conceptual problems associated with the Hawkins Stafford accountability amendments to the Chapter 1 supplementary education program. Unintended negative consequences are discussed, and recommendations are made to overcome these problems, including the…

Intent of "A Nation at Risk" was to call attention to erosion of students' family lives, not to excoriate teachers. Reforms affecting only six hours of children's daily lives cannot succeed. Schools must reach out to help parents, and child-care workers become skilled at incidental (informal) teaching. Other concerns include technology,…

Describes two state-mandated programs for institutional accountability in New Jersey (i.e., Basic Skills Assessment Program and College Outcomes Evaluation Program), which function through cooperation between the state's higher education agency and its colleges and universities. Highlights research objectives, procedures, responsibilities,…

In the new health care environment, academic health center (AHC) faculty must transcend the outdated view that the roles of scholar, scientist, and healer are in opposition to those of leader and manager. If AHCs are to survive and prosper through their current cultural transition, faculty must understand all these roles as part of their…

Presents a framework for interpreting educational reforms, situating existing reform efforts in physical education within that framework. The role of professional development in these reforms and implications for physical education are discussed. The paper also reviews workplace conditions in physical education and draws conclusions for reform in…

Highlights specific questions, concerns, and challenges faced by educators, parents, and students concerning assessment, accountability, accommodations, and alternate assessment. Examples of state assessment-accommodation policies are provided and reasons for providing test accommodations, requirements of Individualized Education Programs,…

This article summarizes how an organization designed and implemented a quality improvement infrastructure and an effective outcomes-based management system. Stages included: assessing the organization's current status and planning for buy-in, initiating data collection, ensuring data integrity, utilizing data in clinical assessment and…

Explores issues of whose work is actually being evaluated when raters outside the classroom context make judgments about students based on work composed with the support of peers, teachers, and parents. Data from an evaluation of a statewide assessment and a study of scoring elementary school writing portfolios illustrate the issues. (SLD)

Highlighting Massachusetts initiatives, examines the recent state movement toward adoption of curriculum frameworks and state assessments as vehicles for improving accountability and student achievement. Absence of standards guarantees stratified educational opportunities. Reform initiatives should include practitioners; avoid prescriptive,…