Communicating Ocean Sciences to Informal Audiences (COSIA) is a National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded project consisting of six three-way partnerships between the Lawrence Hall of Science (LHS) and an informal science education institution (ISEI) partnered with an institution of higher education (IHE). Together, educators from the ISEI (often…

This report describes the model used by the Oregon State System for Higher Education to assess the impact of higher education on the growth and change in students as a result of participation in higher education. The model prescribes assessments of general knowledge and abilities, learning environment, major field knowledge, degree completion,…

This report summarizes the findings of four technical studies on public education finance in Oregon. After describing the intent and scope of each of the studies, the report sketches the general conclusions reached on the structure of the public educational system in Oregon, the state's General Fund, and the financing of each sector of Oregon…

This report outlines recent efforts and offers specific policy recommendations to improve transfer and articulation policies within the Oregon State university system. After taking note of the growing scope and complexity of transfer and articulation throughout the nation, and in Oregon in particular, it discusses the effects of distance…

The third of four technical reports on Oregon education finance, this report summarizes views of 44 opinion leaders in Oregon (including public officials, business leaders, educators, and journalists) on questions of education goals, quality, cost, and methods of decision-making. Answering questionnaires, the respondents first addressed issues of…

The second in a series of four technical reports, this study surveys public education finance in Oregon by focusing on the appropriations for education out of state revenues, on the role of property tax levies for local government support of schools, and on the funding and expenditures at each level of the state's public education. An outline of…

This report of a 2-year study on public university responsiveness to academic and vocational reforms in public K-12 schools and community colleges focuses on: (1) how state universities respond to curricular experiments, and (2) the difficulties reformers encounter with universities. The report presents a brief summary of previous progressive…

The first in a series of four technical reports, this study describes the structure of Oregon's educational system, focusing on the state government's role in education, on the components of public education, and on private educational institutions. The overview of the state government's administrative channels highlights the system of elected…

Financing and financial aid issues in higher education continue to plague state policymakers and higher education leaders. Every year, they struggle with questions of how to meet growing needs through state allocations, how best to ensure shared and equitable responsibility for paying for higher education, and how best to use subsidies such as…

This report presents the framework for a legislatively mandated proficiency-based approach to admissions at Oregon's eight public baccalaureate-granting institutions. The goal of the report is to present a systems-level description of why and how a proficiency-based admissions system should operate. Part 1 considers the implications of the…