Table of Performance Goals and Results

Stategic Outcomes

FY 1999 Annual Performance Goals

Discoveries at and across the frontier of science and engineering

Goal 1.a

Goal 1.b.

NSF is successful when NSF awards lead to important discoveries; new knowledge and techniques, both expected and unexpected, within and across traditional disciplinary boundaries; and high-potential links across these boundaries.

FY 1999 Result: Successful. In FY 1999, a total of 43 reports by external experts rated NSF for this goal. All 43 reports rated NSF successful in achieving this goal.

Relevant to FY 1999 Government-wide goal: An independent assessment will judge NSF research programs to have the highest scientific quality and an appropriate balance of projects characterized as high-risk, multidisciplinary, or innovative.

FY 1999 Result: This goal was achieved. In FY 1999, all external reports indicated that NSF programs have high scientific quality. Of 30 reports by external experts that gave an opinion on balance of projects in the programs under review, 24 reports indicated that the balance was appropriate.

Connections between discoveries and their use in service to society

Goal 2

NSF is successful when the results of NSF awards are rapidly and readily available and feed, as appropriate, into education, policy development, or use by other federal agencies or the private sector.

FY 1999 Result: Successful. In FY 1999, a total of 43 reports by external experts rated NSF for this goal. Of these, 42 reports rated NSF successful in achieving this goal.

 A diverse, globally-oriented workforce of scientists and engineers

Goal 3

NSF is successful when participants in NSF activities experience world-class professional practices in research and education, using modern technologies and incorporating international points of reference; when academia, government, business, and industry recognize their quality; and when the science and engineering workforce shows increased participation of underrepresented groups.

FY 1999 Result: Successful. In FY 1999, a total of 44 reports by external experts rated this goal, with 38 reports rating NSF successful in achieving all or most areas of the goal.

Improved achievement in mathematics and science skills needed by all Americans

Goal 4.a

Goal 4.b

Goal 4.c

NSF is successful when NSF awards lead to the development, adoption, adaptation, and implementation of effective models, products, and practices that address the needs of all students; well-trained teachers who implement standards-based approaches in their classrooms; and improved student performance in participating schools and districts.

FY 1999 Result: Successful, in most areas of this goal. In FY 1999, 22 reports by external experts rated NSF for this goal. Of these, 18 reports rated NSF successful in achieving this goal in all or most areas of the goal.

Over 80 percent of schools participating in a systemic initiative program will (1) implement a standards-based curriculum in science and mathematics; (2) further professional development of the instructional workforce; and (3) improve student achievement on a selected battery of tests, after three years of NSF support.

FY 1999 Result: In 1999, 40 NSF sponsored projects implemented mathematics and science standards-based curricula in over 81 percent of participating schools, and provided professional development for more than 156,000 teachers. All participating educational systems demonstrated some level of improvement in student achievement in mathematics and science on a battery of system-selected assessment instruments. This goal will be maintained for FY 2000.

Through systemic initiatives and related teacher enhancement programs, NSF will provide intensive professional development experiences for at least 65,000 precollege teachers.

FY 1999 Result: In FY 1999, systemic initiatives and related teacher enhancement programs provided intensive professional development to a total of 82,400 teachers, exceeding the goal of 65,000. This goal will not be continued in FY 2000.

Timely and relevant information on the national and international science and engineering enterprise.

Goal 5.a

Goal 5.b

Decrease by 10% from the current average of 540 days the time interval between reference period (the time to which the data refer) and reporting of data.

FY 1999 Result: This goal was achieved.

Achieve customer satisfaction ratings with the relevance of products offered of at least 45% "excellent" and at least 90% "excellent" or "good". FY 1998 baseline is 38% "excellent" and 88% "excellent" or "good" from a 1996 customer service survey.

FY 1999 Result: This goal was achieved. This goal will be replaced in FY 2000 by a goal addressing data quality.