The panel which conducted this study was invited by the Florida Teaching Profession--National Education Association (NEA) and the NEA to assess the educational soundness of implementation of the Florida Accountability Act. The panel felt that the overall purpose of the accountability program was praiseworthy, but that the minimum competency…

Higher education in Massachusetts is considered in relation to governance and student financial aid. Growth since 1960, enrollment projections, and changing financial realities are considered. Attention is directed to reorganization of public higher education, including the struggle to strike a reasonable balance between institutional needs for…

Briefs of selected higher court cases involving student/institutional relationships in Higher Education reported through March 31, 1977 comprised the basic case book. Cases reported after March 31, 1977 are included in monthly supplements. Designed for use by students, faculty, and administrators, the case book responds to the "legalistic '60's"…

The major distinctions between evaluation and research are examined, the chief differences being the intent and type of criteria against which judgments are made. Conceptualization of the evaluation process in higher education is discussed on two levels. A collection of nine similes for understanding evaluation is examined in terms of major…

Based on a review of the literature dealing with management in higher education, this five-part monograph examines the concept of educational productivity and explores its applications in community college administration. Part I presents an operational definition for "management," and discusses five components of the management task: planning,…

A project undertaken to field test the Institutional Report Form (IRF), a tool designed to measure the potential for student consumer abuse in postsecondary educational institutions, is described. The IRF was designed by the American Institutes for Research for use by state licensing agencies, and the field test was intended as a federal technical…

The impact of changing conditions in higher education on state higher or postsecondary education agencies, and the issues facing such boards were examined in a project that also reviewed systems of coordination, governance, and structure. Existing structures were analyzed, especially their strengths and weaknesses in addressing stresses and…

Are our colleges and universities worth what they cost? For generations the American people have thought so. Recently, however, the public has become more skeptical toward higher education and other social institutions. Current knowledge of the consequences of higher education is substantial and is found in a vast literature derived mainly from…

A proposed California community college long-term finance plan is presented, which outlines finance principles in the areas of accountability, resources, sources of support, and support techniques. A planning and accountability process is proposed to meet existing state-level concerns for accountability while maintaining local decision-making and…

The role of postsecondary accreditation and its relation to student consumer protection are discussed in this monograph. The importance of this concept is examined in light of increased marketing efforts on the part of higher education institutions. It is emphasized that students are consumers and their rights should be protected. Possible areas…

The Phoenix Union High School System has developed a basic skills assessment program in the areas of Reading and Mathematics. Procedures and considerations used in developing the system are discussed. Preliminary results on validity and reliability of the assessment instruments are presented. An example of criterion-referenced test development…

The Fargo Public School System has completed a three-year project on a Planning-Programming-Budgeting-Evaluation System (PPBES). The two major purposes of this project were to develop a model for PPBES and to implement this system in the school district operation. Project activities included work in all four of the PPBES phases. The planning stage…

Papers from a conference series initiated in the Aberdeen College of Education in 1968 and recently held in Golspie, Scotland (July 1974), address policy oriented recommendations relative to rural education. This conference report is intended to serve as a useful source of ideas; as background information on international rural educational…

The central assumption in domain-referenced testing (DRT), as presented in this book, is that a domain may be determined which adequately represents a particular universe of knowledge. After a domain has been established, the technological and practical problem of using domain-referenced testing must be solved. This book contains a collection of…

This conference was held to help educators (1) obtain a clearer understanding of the major controversy over current grading practices, (2) share ideas on grading, (3) obtain information on grading alternatives, and (4) learn how to bring about changes in grading procedures. Topics discussed include the relationship of the evaluation of student…