We survey 137 charter school administrators and 129 board members and find that U.S. charter school internal controls are perceived to be relatively strong overall. However, board independence, board communication of internal control responsibilities to school personnel, lines of communication between the board and school personnel, and reporting…

When the U.S. Department of Education (ED) signaled that the broad waivers for state assessments it had offered in 2019-20 would not be widely offered in 2021, it sought to balance the need for student learning data to inform pandemic recovery with the very real operational challenges states face in administering tests this year. This policy…

Policymakers and researchers often talk about "autonomous schools" as if there's a single, agreed-upon definition of what that means. In reality, there's no standard design for autonomous school policies, and school autonomy can mean a lot of different things. The policies that states have enacted vary widely in terms of their goals, the…

Policymakers and researchers often talk about "autonomous schools" as if there's a single, agreed-upon definition of what that means. In reality, there's no standard design for autonomous school policies, and school autonomy can mean a lot of different things. The policies that states have enacted vary widely in terms of their goals, the…

An effective school requires an effective leader, but great principals rarely just happen. They are cultivated. This Wallace Perspective draws on a decade of foundation research and work in school leadership to show how urban school districts can play a major role in ensuring they have principals who can boost teaching and learning in troubled…

Control over local schools, even in the heartland, no longer rests securely in hands of local communities. Since passage of Colorado's first state finance law 17 years ago, power has shifted inexorably from the school board meeting room in Colorado Springs to state house in Denver. However, state's demands for local accountability outstrip demands…

Information about Colorado's second year of progress toward its 1995 educational goals is summarized. Data were based on a review of progress reports submitted to the State Board of Education by individual districts. Progress in addressing each of the state goals and priority objectives is evaluated in the following areas: (1) graduation rate…

Colorado's Public School Finance Act of 1988 directed all public school districts to implement state goals for improving achievement, graduation, and attendance rates. Districts and individual schools were required to develop accountability committees involving parents, staff, students, and community members in planning and evaluating school and…

Higher education evaluation practices in seven states were assessed. Consolidated governing boards were present in Florida, Idaho, and West Virginia, while coordinating boards were present in Alabama, Colorado, and South Carolina. Washington State had an advisory board. For each state, a background paper on the state system was prepared by a…

The report was issued as a statutory requirement of the Colorado State Board of Education. The report was directed to include, but not be limited to: (1) Whether student scores have improved since the accountability reports were issued in 2001; (2) Data on safety incidents involving students; (3) Whether the format of the School Accountability…

Do you feel that schools are only for teachers, principals, and people who have special training in education? Well, Centennial schools need help from parents. You don't need any special skills or training. All you have to do is care about making schools better places for children to learn. How can you help your children's schools do a better job?…

Colorado schools are undergoing a major transformation. Local communities are organizing around their schools and developing action plans to reach the state's educational goals. The 1992 report on K-12 education contains information about Colorado's efforts to implement four strategies: educational accountability; high expectations and standards…

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…

Policies of the Colorado Commission on Higher Education on the outreach program for adult students are outlined, along with procedures to be followed by participating institutions. The program encompasses both noncredit and credit instruction at all levels and may be offered on- or off-campus in traditional or nontraditional formats and time…