Foreword.

Introduction.

Objectives and Approach.

Framework.

Organization of the Report.

Phase One: System-Level Assessment.

Goals of System-Level Assessment.

How Systems Establish a Structure for Such Assessment.

How Systems Identify Misalignments.

How Systems Allocate Resources.

Need for Standardized Data and Course Offerings.

Beyond Assessment: Promoting Workforce Improvement.

Multiple Benefits.

Phase Two: Assessing How Well Providers Meet Customers Needs.

Model One: Intermediary Assesses or Guides Provider s Processof Assessment.

Model Two: Intermediary Conducts the Assessment.

Model Three: Provider Conducts the Assessment.

Model Four: Student Competencies Are Assessed.

Strengths and Weaknesses of the Four Approaches.

Choosing the Right Model for Phase Two.

Purposes of Assessment.

Level of Authority.

Level of Resources.

Centralization of Operations.

System Heterogeneity.

Provider Complexity Within a System.

Summary.

Three Steps for Assessing Providers.

Step One: Identify Goals.

Step Two: Select Measures.

Step Three: Evaluate Performance Using Measures.

Measurement Validity and Reliability.

Bringing It All Together: Integrating All Three Steps.

Relevance of the Three Assessment Steps to Assessors.

Conclusions and Recommendations.

Phase One Recommendations.

Phase Two Recommendations.

Appendix A: Corporate Professional Development and Training.

Appendix B: Process Auditors Academic Audit.

Appendix C: State Higher Education Boards.

Appendix D: Balanced Scorecard.

Appendix E: Certifiers of Student Competencies.

Appendix F: On-line Sources.

Notes.

References.

Index.