Evaluation of professional staff is one aspect of the comprehensive accountability model operating in the Kalamazoo schools. This model also includes minimum objectives for all students at all grade levels in all courses, as well as objectives relating to academic excellence and career preparation. The specific personnel accountability systems…

This paper analyzes prevalent methods of comparing schools' performance and recommends alternative measures more helpful toward understanding how schools might be improved. The influence of two factors--resource availability and financial need--on the level of school programming is explained in light of Michigan's system of educational finance.…