American public higher education systems include the largest and most impactful colleges and universities in the nation, including 75 percent of the nation's public sector students. While their impact is enormous, they are largely neglected as an area of study and underutilized as an instrument for the improvement of postsecondary outcomes.…

The Mastery-Based Learning Collaborative (MBLC) is a demonstration project taking place in 47 schools across Washington to help decision makers understand what quality mastery-based (or competency-based) learning looks like, how long it takes to implement, and what resources are necessary. The schools receive funding, coaching, and professional…

To identify promising strategies for full inclusion, the Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) and the National Center on Special Education in Charter Schools conducted in-depth case studies of five Washington State charter schools as part of a national study of special education in charter schools. These studies were conducted during the…

This document is an outgrowth of the 2016 National Education Technology Plan (NETP). The NETP presents a shared vision and call to action for transformational learning enabled by technology at all levels of our education system. This Higher Education Supplement to the 2016 NETP builds on the principles described in each of the NETP's five…

Improving teacher quality in early education is a major part of ensuring young children's school readiness and closing the achievement gap. This is the book decision-makers and administrators need to begin developing coordinated, effective teacher quality systems--ones that not only get teachers ready for the classroom, but also promote continuous…

Available resources and indicators of high quality inclusive practices are presented in this compilation. Assembling many different resources in one place allows for easy comparison of potential indicators of quality. Excerpts and adaptations of the resources are intended to provide some familiarity with the content of each resource and encourage…

This paper examines the emerging practice and issues surrounding consortia of educational institutions, formed in Scotland, in order to widen access to higher education for underrepresented groups, and suggests some key strategies for assuring quality in the interests of students. The paper describes the Scottish Wider Access Programme, its…

A study of international strategic alliances involving 22 Australian universities indicates that a majority of universities have frameworks for internationalization initiatives, with top institutional management instrumental in initiating joint ventures with overseas institutions despite limited resources. Australian universities believe they…

UNESCO's recently implemented UNITWIN program of interuniversity cooperation around the world, particularly in developing countries, is described and its early accomplishments are assessed. The project is discussed in the context of general trends in higher education, including increased cooperation, growing educational needs, and demand for…

This booklet gives smaller adult and community learning (ACL) providers and their partners a practical insight into how to adapt current approaches to quality improvement for their own institutions. The first sections set out how they can do the following: plan the process; collect, collate, and analyze data; make value judgements and act upon…

These guidelines for college and university linkages abroad are intended primarily to help institutions not already extensively involved with institutions in other countries to develop formal academic contacts and agreements. The guidelines are designed to help start the process, facilitate follow through, and identify difficulties that can be…

This summary of a conference examines the role of higher education in promoting education for all as discussed among representatives from Bangladesh, People's Republic of China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Participants emphasized the importance of…

The Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS or "Council") supports the concept that periodic evaluation entered into voluntarily by institutions and their peers enhances the quality of the educational process and demonstrates that self-regulation of a profession is superior to outside regulation. To help institutions and…

Examines quality assurance systems in higher education in general and of ISO 9000, a set of international quality standards, in particular. Reports on a survey of 23 institutions worldwide concerning implementation of quality systems and application of the ISO 9000 standards. Concludes that while institutions have found the quality assurance…

When schools fail to improve, it is because educators do not think innovatively. What they do is largely a reflection of what they grew up with or what they were taught. Rather than do new things, they focus on working harder at the things that have produced limited success. That used to be the case at Holloway High School in Murfreesboro,…