An Information System for Educational Management: Vol. 1, Design Considerations.

Defines near-term information system requirements, design guidelines, major design constraints, and information needs of educational decisionmakers in the Los Angeles Unified School District. The information system is designed to support educational accountability--the concept that schools and educators should be held accountable for educational results. The system represents an attempt to introduce accountability by implementing and supporting program budgeting, a management philosophy and methodology that aids decisionmaking under resource constraints. The information system is designed to reposit and disseminate information at the classroom level; no information on individual students is stored. The report specifies information requirements of district decisionmakers operating in an accountability/program budgeting environment. Information needs in six areas are discussed: community profile data, personnel data, facilities data, inventory data, program/budget data, and educational outcomes data. Guidelines are given concerning methods of information collection, storage, and dissemination. (See also R-931 through R-935.) 42 pp. Ref.