This issue reviews publications that provide a starting point for principals looking for a way through the accountability maze. Each publication views accountability differently, but collectively these readings argue that even in an era of state-mandated assessment, principals can pursue proactive strategies that serve students' needs. James A.…

Growing demands for accountability and useful measurement of educational outcomes have contributed to increasing efforts to develop or refine more valid and reliable methods of educational assessment. More states are designing high-quality indicator systems for evaluation at the school, district, and state levels. Seven recommendations derived…

This publication contains two essays discussing the Teacher Advancement Program (TAP) and a criticism of merit pay for teachers. Today's schools are larger, often overcrowded, and frequently staffed by temporary or inexperienced teachers. TAP was created in response to the need for teacher-quality reform. It addresses challenges of teacher quality…

A questionnaire survey of 327 elementary and secondary principals in Alberta, Canada found that they derived job satisfaction mostly from interpersonal relations and from feelings of accomplishment, responsibility, authority, and autonomy. They were most dissatisfied with administration and policies, the amount of work, and constraints on their…

This policy brief was written to provide the North Carolina State Board of Education with a research summary on the provision of rewards to high-performing school districts. A 1988 study of state accountability systems across the United States suggested that maintaining an appropriate balance between state oversight of performance and local…

The 14 articles in this journal issue focus on the role of forensics in the eighties. Among the topics discussed in the articles are the following: (1) the survival of forensics, (2) intercollegiate debate, (3) accountability, and (4) intercollegiate forensics. In addition, several articles provide predictions and projections for the future of…

This document explores issues of leadership for accountability and reviews five resources on the subject. These include: (1) "Accountability by Carrots and Sticks: Will Incentives and Sanctions Motivate Students, Teachers, and Administrators for Peak Performance?" (Larry Lashway); (2) "Organizing Schools for Teacher Learning"…

All 50 states are moving toward accountability systems that involve setting clear standards of learning, assessing student progress on those standards, and providing a variety of incentives and sanctions for performance. Many educators remain profoundly ambivalent; however, they recognize opportunities for positive change but worry that a narrow…

The editorial, "Some Aspects of the Educational Change Dynamic: Setting School Autonomy and Evaluation in Context" (Cecilia Braslavsky), explains the focus of this issue. This "Open File: School Autonomy and Evaluation" section contains: "Introduction to the Open File" (Norberto Bottani; Bernard Favre); "IPES The…

Over the past few years, charter schools have received dramatic popular support. An overview of charter schools, including the arguments of their supporters and critics, is presented in this report. The text presents assumptions about the charter movement and discusses their strengths and weaknesses through a research-based synthesis. Advocates of…

This serial offers a collection of articles on academic standards, while focusing on whether it is possible to ensure both equity and high standards in education. It looks at ways to close the achievement gap between students in high-poverty schools and their middle-class peers, and offers a chart that outlines what various stakeholders can do to…

The three issues of this 1997 research brief provide information about institutional programming and planning at St. Petersburg Junior College (SPJC) (Florida). Brief number 1 summarizes the 1996 Enrolled Student Survey and contains sections on student demographics, student satisfaction ratings, and open-ended questions about academic and support…

Arguments against competency testing surface continually, and classic counter-arguments reoccur. Nevertheless, minimum competency testing and other accountability efforts have much public support. Those claiming that the tests are not relevant or do not have predictive validity, also say they are coachable and biased. Answers are given to these…

This policy brief clarifies the definition of charter schools and explores their place in school restructuring and reform by describing existing charter schools in Minnesota and California, examining legislative and contract guidelines, and discussing the future possibilities of charter schools. Charter schools are sponsor-created and…

A charter school is an autonomous entity that operates on the basis of a charter or contract between the individual or group (teachers, parents, and others) that organizes the school and its sponsor (local school board, county, or state board). Once granted a charter, the school receives educational formula-driven funding as though it were a…