Higher education research must focus on three categories-(institutional and system structures, educational processes, and higher education's capacity for change)-if it is to successfully integrate educational research with educational outcomes. (Author)

"Alternative certification" is a general term for nontraditional avenues that lead to teacher licensure. Alternative teacher certification programs (ACPs) are generally geared toward aspiring teachers who already have a baccalaureate degree but who require additional education methods coursework and classroom experience. Such programs vary in…

Examines differences between policymakers' assumptions about standardized testing and the ways 36 teachers prepare students for and administer tests in 2 urban school districts. Concludes that standardized tests may be poor measures of instructional improvements in connection with the regular curriculum. (FMW)

Improvement in the research climate in children's librarianship is needed. There must be a determined demand for research, financial and job support for researchers, improvement in the research techniques for studying children, and implementation of actual research projects. Particular concerns include research on reading, school/public library…

The University of Montpelier I's 1969 statutes permitting maximum autonomy for the faculties of law and economics, medicine, and pharmacology resulted in a well-established division between the university's constituent parts and an unwillingness to pool resources to effect savings. (MSE)

Attempts to define organizational processes necessary to operate safely technologically complex organizations. Identifies nuclear powered aircraft carriers as examples of potentially hazardous organizations with histories of excellent operations. Discusses how carriers deal with components of risk and antecedents to catastrophe cited by Perrow and…

Performance funding reemerged in the 1990s as a state budgetary method for complementing or replacing other funding strategies for public colleges to better promote and respond to specific policy concerns. It has the potential to correct some of the apparent flaws in traditional budgeting but is easier to define than to put into operation. (MSE)

This article introduces the issue of articles on research assessments and rankings. It focuses on the British Research Assessment Exercises (RAEs) and New Zealand's Performance Based Research Fund (PBRF). It contrasts these with systems that are not tied to funding formulas and emphasise quality enhancement rather than quality assurance. It…

The follow-up to Pianta & Cox's groundbreaking "The Transition to Kindergarten," this book updates readers on what has happened in early childhood education in the past seven years; clarifies influential changes in demographics, policies, and practices; and describes promising early education programs and policies. More than 30 highly respected…

This volume presents feature articles and other information about institutional research and the North East Association for Institutional Research (NEAIR). The four feature articles are intended to provide a comprehensive guide to doing effective institutional research. These articles are: (1) "On the Nature of Institutional Research and the…

General interest in decentralized decision-making in education is increasing in both Canada and the United States. This paper attempts a preliminary study of school-based management, which shifts some budgetary decision-making authority from the central office to individual schools. Although many academic specialties have explored decentralization…

Five criteria for judging college or university performance indicators (PIs) used to guide strategic decision making are outlined. The criteria address: purpose; alignment of PIs throughout the organization or system; alignment of PIs across inputs, processes, and outcomes; capacity to accommodate a variety of evaluation methods; and utility in…

Ensuring the integrity of the intercollegiate athletics program is a fundamental responsibility of the college president. The institutional research professional should lead in designing, coordinating, and maintaining an athletics information support system, and support staff should conduct analyses and prepare special reports as needed to shape…

The National Forum on Education Statistics (Forum) is a cooperative of state, local, and federal education agencies. The goal of Forum activities is to improve the quality of education data gathered for use by policymakers and programmatic decision-makers. One approach to furthering this goal has been to pool the collective experiences of Forum…

The movement for developing and implementing adult English as a Second Language (ESL) content standards is gaining momentum in the United States as more emphasis is placed on learner outcomes, accountability, and professionalism in the field. Additional research is needed to investigate the impact that adult ESL content standards have on…