Accountability in the private and public sectors of society has received significant attention in both research and practice, partly because of its importance, but also because it is challenging to define, measure and implement. The nature of accountability is complex, ambiguous and highly context-dependent. As related to postsecondary education…

This Annual Plan presents the major initiatives and priorities the U.S. Department of Education (Department) Office of Inspector General (OIG) intends to undertake to assist the Department in fulfilling its responsibilities to America's taxpayers and students. The Department continues to face significant challenges in FY 2017 that impact its…

This year's edition of "Diplomas Count"--a report by "Education Week" and the Editorial Projects in Education Research Center--examines the status of state P-16 councils and whether they can help smooth the road for young people on their way to productive work and citizenship. It also includes graduation rates by U.S. congressional district so…

This is the second book in a series entitled "P-16: The Last Education Reform." It was the purpose of the authors to chronicle the growth of existing state and local P-16 councils and compacts across the United States and to look at what might constitute successful efforts and an ideal relationship between state and local efforts. The…

Explores statewide accountability systems in higher education, including what they are; the influences of K-12 reform, scarce resources, and distance learning and competing education providers on the drive toward accountability; different state accountability models; and potential disconnects between things measured and intended purposes of the…

The need for goals in postsecondary and higher education is discussed. It is suggested that the development of statewide goals can serve as a means of making postsecondary education accountable to the public without resort to increased control and regulation. The process being used in Georgia to develop statewide goals for postsecondary education,…

As the nation struggles to get back on its feet economically, the colleges and universities are working harder than ever to fulfill their mission: to educate the next generation of workers and citizens. In the West that task is arguably more challenging than elsewhere. The region is highly diverse in terms of both demographics and geography, with…

This report traces the history and accomplishments of the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education over the past 12 years, during 3 state administrations. In the early 1990s, as the Commonwealth was feeling the impact of recession, the perceived quality of the system was declining, as were enrollments and retention. State policymakers and leaders…

In the fall of 2005, CPEC staff convened an Accountability Technical Advisory Committee (ATAC) with representatives from the public and private university systems, the community college system, the Department of Education, and education researchers. The purpose of this committee was to obtain feedback regarding the Commission's online data…

This paper outlines the dimensions of a customer-focused system of accountability and describes approaches taken at the state level to respond to the information needs of a broader client base for higher education. Section 1 traces current trends in the development and implementation of state-level accountability policy for higher education. It…

During the 2002-2003 academic year, six roundtables were held to explore uses of the data from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) for improvement of student learning. This paper describes the roundtable discussion held in Kentucky in December 2002. This roundtable focused on ways the NSSE can contribute to state-level efforts on…

The P-16 initiative of the State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO), which produced the essays in this collection, began in 2000. This initiative has included case studies of P-16 activities in five states and full-day discussions of P-16 issues involving educators and policymakers. These essays articulate what state educational systems…

This paper is designed to initiate discussion about new educational accountability systems and the implications of these systems for educator preparation. Accountability systems are often developed with little regard to a clear definition of accountability, but once the systems are in place, and states are showing (realistic or political)…

This timely report focuses on accountability -- the current lingua franca of higher education -- and the question of the public trust as a reflection of the respect and confidence of the people that are served by the nation's colleges and universities. Designed to assist policymakers and educational leaders, the report identifies the components of…

This issue of "Network News" takes a look at emerging P-16/K-16 partnerships and data systems. The first article, "P-16 Data and Accountability Systems," by Hans L'Orange and Rick Voorhees (an adaptation of a policy brief) looks at data being used for accountability within P-16 systems and provides some general characteristics…