In September 1991, the State Board of Community Colleges of North Carolina revised this report on the critical success factors for the state's community college system. The six factors examined in the report are quality, access, education continuum, workforce development, community services, and program management and accountability. The report…

The third in this special series on constitutional themes, this document focuses on justice. "Due Process: What Is It?" (P. McGuire) examines the concept of due process as provided in the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments and provides lesson plans for a five-day unit on that topic. "Making Government Fair" (G. Galland) explains…

Research conducted by the General Accounting Office (GAO) indicates that the current system of multiple employment training programs requires major overhaul to reduce costs, streamline the bureaucracy, and improve results. The current system of 163 different federal employment training programs wastes resources and confuses and frustrates clients,…

This fastback reference analyzes contrasting opinions about educational assessment and testing in the light of available evidence. The reform of student assessment is an essential component of the revitalization of American schools. Accountability issues relate to the proliferation of testing and the increasing use of high-stakes tests for policy…

School-based management (SBM), the decentralization of decision-making authority to the school site, comes in many variations. However, all forms of SBM require a rethinking of how and where budgeting, curriculum, and personnel decisions are made. This bulletin provides an overview of what SBM is and how it is implemented by summarizing some of…

A "moderation system" is a system intended to help ensure uniform interpretation and application of standards within New Zealand's National Qualifications Framework, which consists of all nationally registered academic and vocational qualifications and the nationally registered unit standards from which they are derived. The process of…

Lessons from the 18-year institutional experience of Alverno College in Milwaukee (Wisconsin) with assessment for the improvement and verification of student learning are summarized. Principles are described that should inform a national assessment system with the dual purposes of improvement and accountability by incorporating the following key…

This model of student teaching preparation was developed in collaboration with public schools to focus on systematic experience in teaching and training for accountability in the classroom. In the two-semester plan, students begin with teacher orientation and planning days, serve as teacher aides, attend various methods courses, teach several…

The data presented in this report are indicators of the level of success of the North Carolina Community College System as measured by student outcomes and the extent to which the system addresses the needs of the state. Where possible, 5-year data are presented. Seven critical factors are examined: (1) student success, evidenced by the number of…

Every 5 years, Johnson County Community College (JCCC), in Overland Park, Kansas, conducts a study of community perceptions to measure the level of community satisfaction with the overall mission of the college. Specifically, the studies seek to measure constituents' awareness of JCCC's role, their support of the college's activities to fulfill…

This report discusses findings from a study that examined the inclusiveness of state standards for students with disabilities. Specifically, the study investigated the extent to which individuals who know students with disabilities were involved in the development process, the extent to which students with disabilities were identified as being a…

This report discusses the findings of a study that examined the participation and performance of students with disabilities in the 1996 Minnesota Basic Standards Tests in reading and mathematics. Results indicated that approximately 70 percent of Minnesota's 8th grade students with disabilities participated in the Basic Standards Tests during the…

This report, based on a conference of international lecturers and academics and organized by Education International, notes that the number of college students has significantly increased over the last 2 decades while spending on almost every aspect of higher education has declined over the same time period. It warns that standards could plummet…

The status of assessment in terms of federal policy, the social or economic climate related to education, the role of testing in counseling, assessment as an intervention in its own right, and assessment as it is affected by technology are important components of the context of issues and challenges related to assessment at the edge of the 21st…

Shortcomings in the current student assessment program in Georgia are identified, proposed revisions are described, and additional changes are recommended. Georgia educators have complained that curricula place too much emphasis on basic skills, to the detriment of subjects like science and social studies. Reform legislation in Georgia has…