This book, divided into three sections, comprises papers delivered at a conference on "Alternative Strategies in Compensatory Education," convened by the staff of the National Assessment of Chapter 1 of the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act and designed to aid Congress in its 1987 reauthorization of Chapter 1. The introduction,…

"A Nation at Risk" and other recent reports have focused public attention on excellence in education. During the same period, the federal government has cut aid to education by almost 20 percent and consolidated federal funding into block grant programs, which some critics have claimed are less efficient than programs before…

The quality of doctoral-level biochemistry (N=139), botany (N=83), cellular/molecular biology (N=89), microbiology (N=134), physiology (N=101), and zoology (N=70) programs at United States universities was assessed, using 16 measures. These measures focused on variables related to: (1) program size; (2) characteristics of graduates; (3)…

In 1984, the New York State Regents issued an action plan calling for changes in curriculum, high school graduation requirements, and educational standards. Histories of school reform indicate, however, that state legislation alone cannot successfully or permanently improve educational practice. This essay therefore surveys the history of federal…

The creation of a quasi-market in England and Wales schooling has changed pupil, parent, and school behavior in a way that has reinforced the dominance of traditional, academic schooling. A study summarized results of research into this quasi-market behavior, with particular emphasis upon the upper secondary age group. The study found that while…

Efforts focused on improving quality processes based upon the Malcolm Baldrige Education Criteria for Performance Excellence may hold promise for fundamentally improving K-12 education. This policy report examines the information available on improving school quality through implementation of the Baldrige criteria. It provides a snapshot of what…

This report presents tables, graphs, and narrative to describe the current status of postsecondary education in Kentucky in the context of the Kentucky Postsecondary Improvement Act of 1997. The Act changes how postsecondary education is defined (to include postsecondary technical schools) and its activities and programs measured. The first…

Recognizing that cross-national information and analysis can contribute to the improvement of policy development related to quality early childhood education and care (ECEC), the Education Committee of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) launched the Thematic Review of Early Childhood Education and Care Policy in 1998.…

In 2001, the Pennsylvania Department of Education contracted with Western Michigan University to evaluate Pennsylvania's charter schools and charter school initiative over two years. The study used site visits, work sample review, document review, focus groups, portfolios and surveys to gather data regarding the movement's effectiveness, progress,…

This evaluation progress report for the budget period October 1 1996-September 30, 1997 describes the Connections Project within the Seward, Nebraska, public schools. The project provided four major activities to help Nebraska middle and high school teachers, mentors, and community members enhance student learning through integrated curricula…

This annual report for budget year October 1, 1997-September 30, 1998 describes year 2 of the Connections Project within the Seward, Nebraska public schools. This project (a technology challenge grant) provided four major activities to help Nebraska middle and high school teachers, mentors, and community members enhance student learning through…

This document presents and explains the Institute for Experiential Learning's Standards of Excellence for Experiential Education through Internships, which were developed to generate a discussion in the higher education community on the academic standards that should serve as benchmarks for assessing the elements of good practice in internship…

A framework for conducting discipline-related research through professor-student collaboration, developed at California State University, Dominguez Hills, is outlined and its application in one classroom project is described. Results of a survey of 225 undergraduate and graduate students in the clinical sciences, health sciences, and teacher…

Evaluated effectiveness of a multiage learning project in terms of an assessment of classroom quality, and teacher concerns about multiage grouping and computer use in the classroom. Found that participating teachers modified their classrooms to make them more developmentally appropriate, and they increased their use of computers for their own…

A ranking of 229 universities in the United States provides survey information concerning academic reputation, student selectivity, faculty resources, financial resources, retention, alumni giving, college entrance examination scores, freshmen's high school rank, acceptance and yield rates, student/faculty ratio, expenditures per student, class…