Answer

1. O’Donovan, E. (2010). Finding Exemplary Teachers. District Administration, 46(1), 46-47.

In the article finding exemplary teachers, Donovan observes that teacher quality is the most integral component in enhancing student learning. According to Donovan, any school organization that is committed to academic excellence must therefore select and recruit only outstanding teachers. The article also indicates that teacher quality is of paramount significance that Obama administration ensured that grants are made available to various states through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. Similarly, the article indicates that a majority of school principals however, often select and hire teachers following criteria which are either ill-defined or contradictory. For instance, the hiring of a teacher may be based only on past evidence that the teacher had few complaints from the parents without investigating the teacher further. Similarly, the article indicates that a majority other schools hire teachers based on his or her past experience without investigating if the experience in question is in line with the needs of the students. 

Donovan in the article also observes that there is need for school administrators to adhere to guidelines that would lead to the hiring of teachers with necessary skills and behaviors that would translate to positive learning outcomes. Some of these guidelines include adequate screening by the use of questionnaire that pose real-life situations so as to help uncover the innate qualities and working styles of an individual. Additionally, the use of structured interview questions which focus on the teacher’s attitude, skills and interpersonal relations is equally a significant consideration since it allows for the selection of the best.

2. Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D., (2010). Education Laws and Regulations. Retrieved September 06, 2017, from http://www.doe.mass.edu/news/news.aspx?id=5685

In this article, Chester outlines the general requirements that must be followed when considering employment of a teacher or a professional support or the hiring of an administrator in a learning institution. For instance, he quotes chapter 71 of Massachusetts General Laws that indicates, no person is eligible for employment as either a teacher or a professional support personnel unless such a person is granted and educator license by the commissioner showing the position for which s/he is seeking employment. Also, the article indicates that in the event that the search for a licensed teacher is not successful, then the school may apply for a waiver from the Commissioner so they may be exempted from hiring licensed personnel for one year.  However, for a learning institution to qualify for a waiver, an institution must possess the documents indicating its attempts to employ an appropriately licensed candidate. Some of these documents may include, copies of job advertisements placed in a media and letters sent to placement officers among others.

Similarly, the article outlines some of the careful hiring practices that must be considered by the educators. For example, Chester indicates that all the candidates must carefully fill a job application forms including details of their previous employer. Also, thorough background checks on the teachers are necessary which should involve contacting the candidate’s recent employers so as to get any relevant information. Additionally, criminal background checks of both the current and prospective employees are similarly necessary. Furthermore, it is essential to confirm electronically if the status of the certificate weather the licenses are active or not.  

3. World Bank (2012). Good Practices for Financial Consumer Protection. http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTFINANCIALSECTOR/Resources/Good_Practices_for_Financial_CP.pdf

This article documents clear rules and guidelines of conduct for financial firms in regard to their retail customers so as to ensure these firms allow all customers to receive timely information to enable them make necessary informed decisions regarding their finances and to prevent the customers from being subjected to deceptive practices. Some of the legislations according to the World Bank in regard to consumer protection institutions include ensuring that all legal entities that give financial services to the consumers get registered by appropriate financial supervising authority as a way of enhancing consumer protection. Also, the institutions ought to ensure that it designs a necessary institutional structure that allows for the effective implementation of consumer protection rules.

 In regard to disclosure and sales practices, the law according to the article indicates that before a financial institution recommends to a consumer any given financial product or service; they should first gather adequate information from the customer so as to establish if the product or service has the capacity to meet the needs of the consumer. Pertaining customer account handling and maintenance, the World Bank requires financial institutions to prepare and maintain up-to-date records which are readily accessible to the customers with or without charge. Similarly, the customers must be notified in writing on the changes in either interest rates or on the changes on various financial products. Other laws regarding consumer protection as documented in the article is concerned with consumer privacy and data protection where the article indicates that the financial institutions must promote confidentiality as well as technical security of the customer’s data and that the release of customers records to a government authority should follow specific guidelines so as to ensure the data is adequately protected.

4. Simson, R., Sharma, N., & Aziz, I. (2011). A guide to public financial management literature. London: Overseas Development Institute.

Simson, Sharma & Aziz article guide to public financial management aims at deepening people’s knowledge on Public Financial Management (PFM). According to the article, the laws and practices governing PFM are often difficult to comprehend which calls for the need for a more elaborate article with the capacity to broaden people’s knowledge even beyond their area of expertise. In the article, PFM is defined as all government activity that encompasses the mobilization of revenue, allocation of the funds to various activities, expenditure as well as accounting for the already spent funds.  The article identifies budgeting as one of the most effective financial management practices since it allows for governments to give a forecast of revenue and planned expenditure. Simson, Sharma & Aziz observes that for a government to pursue its goals and objectives, a budget must be put in place so as to allow for the spending of the funds in accordance with a set of appropriations.

Similarly,  article  identifies accounting and reporting as equally  effective means of not only ensuring compliance with the budget but also a way of demonstrating that public funds are utilized in accordance with their intended purpose. Similarly, the article indicates that financial reporting provides means through which both external and internal actors may assess government performance. Other financial management practices identified in the article include external auditing which involves scrutinizing government transactions, systems as well as practices with the aim of ensuring that that all the expenditure is in compliance with the law.