Re: Let's point IP to accreditation

["Karel A. Smith" <ksmith@SERVICES.DESE.STATE.MO.US>]

On Sun, 23 Jan 1994, Koleta B Tilson wrote:

> Lm_netters:
> The not-too-recent exchange about an the lack of implementation of
> Information Power (IP) resembled thunder while the subsequent rush to
> shelter under a proposed revision was, for me, a source of frustration.
> Does the responsibility to implement IP reside with a professional organizatio
 n
> (AASL) with no regulatory powers?
> I am inclined to think that the regional accreditation agencies with
> instruments designed to measure and influence compliance with standards
> present the best opportunity to accomplish this.
> In the USA, six regional accreditation agencies (Middle States, New England,
> North Central, Northwest, Southern, and Western Associations of schools and
> colleges) provide regulatory influences through the promotion of standards and
> processes of evaluation. If our programs and institutions are measured by
> instruments with lost relevance, we should be frustrated until we address
> the responsibility to achieve the necessary revision.
> If your school is a member of a US regional accreditation agency and if the
> instrument used to evaluate your program does not contain the goals of IP,
> revision is needed.  If the instrument *does* measure the implementation of IP
 ,
> I would like to point to the gopher server of that agency. (What, no Gopher?)
> The measure of our professionalism may be in how we handle this.  I feel
> that those who worked on the aforementioned document (IP) made a significant
> lcontribution to the profession.  When the task of developing and
implementing a
> relevant and appropriate instrument is accomplished within the regional
> accreditation agencies, our frustration may vaporize as we share the pride of
> implementing IP!
>
> Koleta Tilson, Librarian
> Sullivan Central High School
> kbtilson@sacam.oren.ortn.edu
  In Missouri the School Improvement Plan helps local school districts to
upgrade their libraries and is part of the overall evaluation by the State
Department of Education.  Mostly this is geared to the services part of
the Library Media Center's program.  Work is beginning on the quantative
part of evaluation.  North Central's standards are much lower than even
our old state standards!