Purpose: The expansion of alternative education, globally, has coincided with a shift towards greater accountability for ensuring educational access and opportunity, high academic standards and increased graduation rates. While studies suggest the pervasive influence of accountability may be redefining how school leaders provide meaningful…

Dramatic changes in the higher education landscape and the recent recession have intensified the challenges students face in postsecondary enrollment and completion. In response, some states, communities, and institutions have developed "postsecondary opportunity programs (POPs)"--comprehensive college access and success programs…

The chapters in this book reflect the work of science and mathematics educators who have worked for many years at the international level. As members of the International Consortium for Research in Science and Mathematics Education, their work provides readers with issues, models, practices, and research results that have applicability and…

Staff members of a state literary resource center surveyed their practitioner clients to determine how they viewed research and the kinds of uses they made of it. Mail surveys were sent to all of the 404 adult education and English as a second language program directors in the state, and followup telephone interviews were conducted with 16 of the…

A discussion of standardized statewide electronic transcript formats and national standardization of electronic data exchange for college student records looks at implications for tracking transfer students' progress. Relative ease of use of the formats and the information contained in the records are examined, technical requirements are noted,…

Presents results from a study by the East Texas School Study Council on the impact of two major pieces of reform legislation passed by the state legislature in 1984. Includes five tables and a list of references. (MD)

Summarizes findings from a 1983 survey on instructional computing patterns in Texas school districts that have implications for teacher training. Patterns under investigation were concerned with hardware, courseware, student populations and curriculum areas using computers, computer literacy skills for students, and teacher training efforts. (MBR)

A brief questionnaire was mailed to all legislators in Arkansas (n=135, with 75 responding) and Texas (n=181 with 67 responding) concerning possible gender differences in legislative effectiveness. Personal interviews were also conducted with all female legislators from both states and an equal number of randomly selected male legislators (20 in…

This paper discusses a survey instrument that was developed to measure educators' receptivity to the inclusion of elements of global education in the curriculum. The instrument was designed to elicit attitudinal responses. Responses were measured using a six point, strongly-agree-to-strongly-disagree, Likert type scale. A random sample of K-12…

This study assessed the extent to which information about Japan is taught in secondary world history classrooms in Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. The sample used for this study was 475 world history teachers, randomly selected, in K-12 school districts scattered across Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. A 21-item questionnaire was mailed to each of…

The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) documents dimensions of quality in undergraduate education and provides information and assistance to colleges, universities, and other organizations to improve student learning. Its primary activity is annually surveying college students to assess the extent to which they engage in educational…

Randomly selected faculty from four state universities in Texas were surveyed to determine the degree to which the library and its resources influenced their decisions to accept university positions. Responses to the questionnaire reveal that faculty may take libraries for granted, as they are not exploited in faculty recruitment. (Author/CLB)

This analysis exemplifies Texas as 1 of 22 "adoption states" that select textbooks according to systematic state criteria and interprets this approach in relation to textbook reform efforts. Survey data of state committee members' ranking of criteria during the initial selection phase revealed that the top three criteria were…

Uses survey data from Texas and North Dakota to examine characteristics of farmers experiencing financial stress and to assess relative utility of adoption/diffusion, structural, and ecological frameworks for explaining levels of farm financial stress. Finds theoretical frameworks inadequate to explain differences in financial conditions.…

This report documents a project to develop current statewide validated competencies for auto mechanics, diesel mechanics, welding, office occupations, and printing. Section 1 describes the four steps used in the current competency validation project and provides a standardized process for conducting future studies at the local or statewide level.…