Various approaches to the professional development school (PDS)--each designed for its respective audience, mission, and purpose for engagement--have shaped the professional development school effort during the past 25 years. Central to these approaches is improving teacher quality in the service of student learning. This provides direction for…

All students, including students with disabilities, must be included in state accountability systems as required by law. In April 2007, federal regulations provided states the flexibility to offer another assessment option--an Alternate Assessment based on Modified Achievement Standards (AA-MAS) for some students with disabilities. The AA-MAS is…

The guide is intended to provide direction and facilitate unity in state-wide planning for the establishment and maintenance of educational programs for exceptional children in Arizona. Information for local school administrators relates to policies and procedures for initiation, organization, and operation of programs. General information on…

The Administrator's Guide to programs for exceptional children reviews administrative procedures, discusses program organization, examines 11 handicapping categories, gives in full the state law mandating special educational programs for handicapped children, notes certification requirements for 12 professional certificates, and provides samples…

Presented is the guide for gifted and talented programs in Arizona public schools. Included in the first section are definitions of such terms as "gifted", an outline of procedures of the local district to obtain state approval of a proposed program, an application form for program approval, and an outline of a suggested program…

To provide a rationale and policy agenda for early childhood programs in Arizona and to illuminate issues and concerns that surround decisions regarding preschool programs, this report reviews the background of the current preschool movement, describes the efforts of other states to establish preschool education, and discusses and makes…

The Continuous Uniform Evaluation System (CUES) provides the means for Arizona school districts to demonstrate accountability for achieving the goal of assisting all public school students in Arizona to develop the basic skills of reading, writing, and computation. These suggested guidelines for the development and implementation of a continuous…