Forms Management for Management Information Systems for State Educational Agencies. A Position Paper.

The role of the State educational agency has shifted from inspections giving and statistics gathering to a new one which finds the agency at the hub of local, State, and Federal information transmittal. This emerging role holds great promise for effective Statewide improvement in education, because relatively new leader-manager expectations of the SEA are beginning to crystallize--especially in the area of information systems. This paper has been prepared to assist State educational agencies that are considering restructuring their operations to better meet the needs for timely information in a cost-effective method. It discusses the alternatives and states a position for the problem areas of forms management and data collection procedures. (Author/WM)