Parameters of Quality Control and Decision Making At the State Level.

The recommendation is made that Elementary Secondary Education Act Title I data should be subjected to quality control procedures at local, state, and national levels. An industrial quality control model may provide a useful approach, particularly at the state level. A brief description of the Title I Evaluation and Reporting System is given, including mention of the three RMC Models and the use of a normal curve equivalent scale. The aggregate reporting model is described in which schools report to districts, which report to states, which in turn report to the federal level. Shewhart control charts are recommended for one phase of quality control as a means of identifying statistical outlines. For another aspect of quality control, a list is provided of items to be checked in verifying the data received from school districts by the state education agency. (CTM)