The Contribution of Quality Assurance Reviews to Development in School Systems. Draft.

This paper discusses key aspects of the British experience with school review and evaluation, which influenced the development of the South Australian framework for school evaluation. The discussion combines the requirements of accountability and development within a framework of quality assurance. The paper describes shortcomings of the internal review (self-evaluation) process and the HMI (Her Majesty's Inspectors) external assessments for schools in the United Kingdom. School review systems have a dual focus--accountability and development. Internal approaches have traditionally been directed at development, and external approaches have tended to focus on accountability. Tn response to deficiencies of the internal and external approaches used in Great Britain, the former Inner London Education Authority (ILEA) developed an internal-external school-review plan, which also experienced implementation problems. Since 1989, South Australian schools have been required to develop school-development plans (SDPs), which schools use in conducting annual internal reviews of their planning and development. Studies have indicated that schools often needed assistance in implementing plans. A combination of external and internal review is recommended. Internal school reviews should be essentially formative, identifying the fundamental processes and organizational structures most important to student learning. External reviews should be summative, be conducted every 3 years, evaluate performance of the system as a whole, and provide comparative information to schools. One figure is included. (LMI) *********************************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. *********************************************************************** THE CONTRIBUTION OF QUALITY ASSURANCE REVIEWS TO DEVELOPMENT IN SCHOOL SYSTEMS Peter Cuttance Assistant DirectorDirector General (Quality Assurance) U S DEPARTMENT Of EDUCATION Ottce of Educational Research and impairment EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER IERICI SleT:is document Ms been reproduced as received Porn the person or organization originating it n Minor charges Nig been made to improve reproduction guild, Points of or °omens slated $n th.sdoeu mint do hot necessarily represent Thcigi OECD position or policy PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MAT IAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY