This report proposes changes to the current higher education budget development process in Illinois in order to provide more information to institutions and to make the process more inclusive and open. It argues that budget development should be goal-based and accountable, responsive, incentive-based, recognize diversity of institutions, stable…

This monograph examines several proposed school finance formulas addressing funding and/or taxation disparities produced by the current Illinois system. The analysis is conceptual, as each model is either in the developmental stage or has not been simulated to demonstrate actual impact. Specific algebraic formulations are ignored when discussing…

Outlines specific needs for a comprehensive research effort, describes the present status of research in the community colleges of Illinois, defines the comprehensive nature and role of community college institutional research, and considers the implications for the selection and in-service training of researchers. (DC)

This evaluation guide is designed to assist local community college instructors, administrators, and other persons in the evaluation of their agricultural occupations program. The first of three sections provides an introduction and discusses (1) how standards benefit students, colleges, and the community; (2) how to prepare for a review of the…

The eighth in a series of booklets on the Macomb (Illinois) 0-3 Regional Project for rural handicapped and high risk infants and toddlers focuses on the project's accountability efforts. The first paper presents an accountability instrument which includes descriptions of location, contacts, and activities (system entry, direct services,…

Summarized in this document are the investigative findings and recommendations of the Illinois Advisory Council regarding the status of vocational and technical education in the State. Programmatic concerns assessed were: (1) budgeting and fundings, (2) secondary area vocational centers, especially those in the Chicago area, (3) the State's…

In 1997, the Illinois Legislature passed significant legislation that increased the foundation level for general state aid. Provisions in the legislation for increased teacher accountability included changing the single-level teacher certification system to a multi-tiered process, changing the length of time required before attaining teacher…

This report describes five state systems of support in low-performing schools. Discussion of each state system includes a description of the accountability system, the process for identifying low-performing schools, funding resources available, the technical assistance provided, the provider of that assistance, and the resources used to support…

This paper explores what lessons we can learn from the experiences of states that instituted NCLB-like accountability systems prior to 2001 (here called first-generation accountability systems). We looked at the experiences of three smaller states (Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina), four larger ones (California, Florida, New York, Texas), and…

Project PASS (Personal, Academic, Social Successes) is a goal-setting model that capitalizes on students' self-esteem and behavior and creates individual accountability for learning. The program was developed for a group of 15 at-risk eighth grade students in a school in the heart of urban Chicago. As part of Project PASS, students, parents,…

Education is experiencing a case of misplaced accountability, where an exclusive reliance on high stakes tests overlooks the more subtle judgments of teachers and professional educators and, because of its simplicity, passes as democratic. This article investigates the theoretical underpinnings of current accountability initiatives and draws upon…

This report examines how state policymakers designed their accountability systems to meet the NCLB Title I requirements and the implications of its provisions for schools with large numbers of low-income and minority students. The authors conducted their study in six states--Arizona, California, Illinois, New York, Virginia, and Georgia--which are…

In the spring of 1995, the Chicago Public School system, the nation's third largest and, arguably, one of the most troubled, made national headlines when it was taken over by Mayor Richard M. Daley, then starting his third term and the most popular mayor since his father, Richard J. Daley, held the office for 21 years. By far the biggest reform…

The history and development of city-wide testing programs in Chicago since 1936 are reviewed and placed in context with the impact on testing of Sputnik and the passage of the National Defense Education Act of 1958. Current testing problems include the time lag between events and curricular changes and new test construction, the time lag between…

The mission of the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB), as the state coordinating board for community colleges, is to administer the Public Community College Act in a manner that maximizes the ability of the community colleges to serve their communities, promotes cooperation within the system, and accommodates those State of Illinois…