The accountability focus in higher education historically has been directed at the institutional level. The purpose of this comparative case study, however, was to look at state-level accountability. The research focused on the processes used in Tennessee, Minnesota, and South Dakota. Interviews were conducted with higher education administrators…

Findings of a study that examined the responses of local school board members in Louisiana, Minnesota, and Nebraska to the National Goals for Education (NGE) are presented in this paper. A survey mailed to 718 local school board members in July 1991 obtained 298 responses, a 42 percent response rate. The respondents assigned a higher priority to…

When school board members consider the question of sharing a superintendent between two or more districts, they often lack the necessary information to make a sound decision. In addition, they often do not consider the changes in roles, relationships, and responsibilities that must occur in such a situation. This paper, based on a questionnaire…

Teacher education is quickly evolving, reflecting the dynamic complexity and heterogeneity of U.S. society. Collaboration of state licensing agencies and university/college and school personnel is essential in pursuing creative options to meet student needs. This collaboration requires a careful examination of the roles played by each of the three…

Three propositions related to how Minnesota should address the needs of young children and their families are presented and discussed briefly in this position paper. The propositions are: (1) The Minnesota Legislature should mandate county boards/Human Service Boards to assume the leadership role in coordinating and planning services to young…

A 1979 study conducted by the Colorado Commission on Higher Education to develop a plan for assessing and increasing faculty productivity is described. The central issue was the demand for individual faculty, departmental, and institutional autonomy versus demand by the political system for evidence that the faculty it funds produces adequate…

This case study describes the introduction and consideration of a state board staff proposal that the more traditional Minnesota State Universities adopt external degree programs. A model for making practices congruent with policy decisions is presented. The process of examining the external degree proposal, beginning with the state board actions…

To help make school districts more accountable without resorting to minimum competency testing, the Minnesota legislature in 1976 passed a law requiring the state's 434 districts to prepare annual planning and evaluation reports (PERs). The PER law obliges districts to develop educational policies and review them annually; create an instructional…

This study of the school board agenda-setting role among 30 Minnesota superintendents interprets their perceptions in relation to environmental contexts, group demands, issues control, and district enrollment size. A microperspective of David Easton's political systems model provided the guiding conceptual framework. Respondents were interviewed…