An increasing number of parents are opting-out their children from high-stakes. Accountability systems in education have used students' test scores to measure student learning, teacher effectiveness, and school district performance. Students who are opted-out of high-stakes tests are not being evaluated by the state tests, making their level of…

This is a study of the practices utilized by four school districts, two with high and two with low retention rates of teachers, to examine how similarities and differences in selected human resources practices relate to the successful retention of teachers in these districts. The factors studied that may impact teacher retention included…

This study explored the efforts of shared decision-making teams (SDM) that were created by a state mandate and charged with improving student achievement in New York state. For example, under the mandate, a shared decision-making team composed of representatives from the administration, the faculty, and parents must be present in each public…

Interactions of potential loss, time, and self-efficacy on the need for evaluation information for decision making were investigated for 259 managers/nurses (60 percent survey response rate) of home health agencies in New York State. Those with high self-efficacy needed less information in situations of high potential loss and inadequate time.…

The model described here was developed for use as a program planning guide by teachers, many of them business and other lay people, at the secondary school level who offer adult education courses on how to make management decisions and solve problems. Ten features of the model are listed: (1) The purpose is to assist owner-operators or managers to…

Effects of variations of program evaluation purpose and methodology on decision-making information needs of various stakeholders were examined with 475 participants in planning for early childhood special education (223 administrators, 140 service personnel, and 112 parents). A program evaluation's purpose and methodology differentially affect…

This 2-part document is designed to aid school districts in the implementation of a planning programing budgeting system. The first part of the manual contains (1) statements of policy, (2) a master flowchart, (3) organization and functions of a PPBS system, (4) a flowscript of procedures, (5) job outlines, and (6) supplementary appendix material.…