The decision to create Great Britain's Open University and stages in the preparation of higher education reforms are considered. The current position of the Open University in relation to its original goals is also addressed, and the policy implementation process is examined to determine why the Open University achieved some of its original goals…

Designed as a formal response to the Report of the Task Group on Retention and Transfer (HE 014 825), by Gerald Kissler, which is sharply critical of the community college transfer program, this report examines issues related to the transfer of community college students to the University of California (UC) and the California State Universities…

Our educational establishment is so obviously failing the nation that the time for drastic remedial action is now. The nation needs first-rate scientists and engineers. It also requires a population that has a solid understanding of science grounded in a good general education. Our current ability to achieve these goals will not be used until…

Recommendations for improving educational quality and strengthening public confidence in American higher education are offered, based on the deliberations of the National Commission on Higher Education, which existed for 1 year and held four meetings. Areas of concern include: setting priorities for the institution and strengthening administrative…

The Program Assistance and Approval System (PAAS) is an attempt to fulfill the needs of the 1978 Louisiana Educational Accountability Act regarding improvements in schools and/or educational programs. The system is designed as an onsite review to (1) determine the degree of implementation of program standards, (2) assess areas of need, and (3)…

In 1984 the General Assembly of South Carolina passed the Education Improvement Act of 1984--the "New Approach", a comprehensive educational reform measure. The following action initiatives were mandated: (1) increase academic standards; (2) strengthen student discipline and attendance in the schools; (3) provide more effective use of…

The educational "excellence" movement is hindered by inconsistencies between goals and action and by difficulties in translating national and state goals into local policy; nonetheless, progress has occurred. Examples of "voodoo excellence," in which proposed policies will likely work against their stated objectives, are…

The development of high school accreditation in California and six recommendations for the accrediting process are considered. From 1884 until 1962, high school accreditation was conducted by the University of California. Since 1962, the Accrediting Commission for Schools of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) has been the…

Two California bills (signed into law in fall 1984) designed to improve state standards for approving and authorizing private, nonaccredited colleges and universities are examined, with attention to the background to the bills, the key changes in statute that each bill accomplished, and the current status in their implementation. Senate Bill 2151…

Similar in scope and intent to the National Science Education Standards, the Standards for Technological Literacy were conceptualized as a way to bring more consistency and accountability to the varied technology education K-12 content in the United States (International Technology Education Association, 2000). The organization's goal was to…

The conditions necessary and the standards of quality to be met for programs leading to the Doctor of Philosophy degree are described in this policy statement. The doctoral program is defined as being designed to prepare a student for a lifetime of intellectual inquiry that manifests itself in creative scholarship and research often leading to…

The 1976 High School Eligibility Study is the fourth in a continuing series of studies performed to provide data to the University of California and the California State University and Colleges so they can recalibrate their admission standards for first-time freshman students under the guidelines established under the Master Plan for Higher…

Since the implementation of an open admissions policy at Bronx Community College (BCC) in 1970, the majority of incoming students have been socially, economically, and academically disadvantaged. In 1978, one out of three students had a native language other than English; 46% came from households with an income of less than $5,000; 68% were placed…

The dilemma of maintaining academic standards as well as open access policies is discussed in this paper with respect to the causes of and possible solutions to the problem. Trends leading to the standards/open access dilemma are first considered, including the dominant belief in the 1950's that education served to select and groom the most…

Recognizing the legislative and institutional difficulties involved in complying with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, this paper describes the efforts of St. Mary's Junior College (SMJC) to develop technical (i.e., non-academic) standards for college admission. The paper first points to particular legislative variables which must be…