Spring 2006

A Message From The President — After years of attending to accountability requirements in K-12 education via No Child Left Behind, it appears that Congress and the U.S. Education Department have set their sights on higher education. Federal and state officials are scrutinizing colleges and universities more closely.  Concerns have erupted from the extraordinary increase in the cost of post-secondary education combined with uncertainties over outcomes commensurate with a college degree.  See complete story.

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When More Money and Programs Don’t Work: Higher Ed Teams with K-12 To Ensure the Needs of Underrepresented Kids are Met — On February 26, 2005, Bill Gates stood before our nation’s governors with a challenge. “America’s high schools are obsolete.  [E]ven when they’re working exactly as designed, [they] cannot teach our kids what they need to know today.  …Until we design them to meet the needs of the 21st century, we will keep limiting – even ruining – the lives of millions of Americans every year.” See complete story.

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The Accountability Mantra: One State’s Approach to School Improvement —

Accountability is the mantra of educational reform. Since the mid-1980’s it has been gaining momentum leading up to the 2001 renewal of the federal education laws we all know as No Child Left Behind (NCLB).  “The emphasis on performance improvement and accountability over the last ten years represents an important change from past federal educational initiatives, which focused primarily on ensuring that services were provided.” The regulations of NCLB requireincreasing standards, clear performance goals and accountability for results.  Embedded in the regulations are specific adequate yearly progress (AYP) goals for improvements in students’ achievement of academic proficiency as measured by statewide tests.  Schools that fail to make adequate yearly progress for a number of years face sanctions and/or interventions that increase in severity. See complete story.

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Recent Questions Surrounding NCLB-Mandated Supplemental Educational Services Suggest the Need for Stepped Up Monitoring - One of the provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act - Supplemental Educational Services (SES) for students in schools that do not meet proficiency standards - highlights the sheer speed and scale at which NCLB’s implementation has taken place, as well as the risks associated with the dramatic ramp up.  Supplemental educational services include academic assistance such as tutoring, remediation, and other educational interventions designed to increase the academic achievement of students in low-performing schools, services which are provide outside of the regular school day.  See complete story.

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Institute on Global Education Takes a Real World Look at International Program Development and Management —Are you interested in knowing more about the global opportunity for U.S. higher education?  On June 10, the National University Telecommunications Network (NUTN) will present a half-day Institute on Global Education. Click here to learn more.

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Alumni Matter: Unleashing a Lifetime of Value
The Benefit of CRM Principals in the Postsecondary Environment -

In the competition for students, America’s 4,100 colleges and universities implement mass marketing strategies, at considerable expense, to maintain or increase their market share.  According to University Business, the postsecondary sector will spend over $270 billion per year in advertising alone.  This is in addition to a blizzard of email, web, direct, and personal strategies—each institution trying to outmaneuver the other. In a recent survey of continuing and professional education leaders, the University Continuing Education Association (UCEA) reported that marketing budgets are steadily rising with institutions spending an average of $319 million on an integrated marketing mix that targets would-be students. But what the numbers do not tell you is the potential benefit of employing relationship-management principles in marketing to the customer—college alumni and alumnae.  Click here to read more.

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New Benchmarking Tool Set To Launch June 12, 2006 - Take your distance learning program to the next level of quality, accountability and profitability with IQAT. Click here to learn more.

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HA Digest

• Hezel Associates Expands New England Presence
  Fran Hurley Joins Research Team - Hezel Associates is pleased to announce the addition of Francis Hurley, Ed. D to the full-time staff. In her new position as Senior Research Associate, Dr. Hurley will be responsible for evaluation and strategic services projects, as well as dissemination and proposal writing. Click here to read more.

• Mitchell Promoted - Mr. Josh Mitchell assumed his new title, Manager of Special Projects, in January.  As Manager of Special Projects, Mitchell is responsible for the National University Telecommunications Network-Hezel Associates Distance Learning Benchmarking Study and the development of IQAT, the Interactive Quality Assessment Tool.  He spearheads market research and strategic planning projects for distance learning and continuing education for both private and public institutions, as well as education service providers.

• Grossman, Wang and Ford Join Hezel Associates as Company Growth Continues - Dr. Steven Grossman joined Hezel Associates as Sr. Research Associate.  Grossman comes to Hezel Associates after 35 years working in public education, most recently as assistant superintendent at Onondaga Cortland Madison BOCES, and entering private consulting in 2004. Click here to read more.

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