State policy plays a critical role in determining whether and how well local education improvement strategies can be implemented. As states rework their education policies under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), state and local leaders need a way to assess their current policy environment and identify the changes needed to encourage local…

Ideal for faculty and administrators looking to blend business education and the liberal arts, this toolkit combines exemplary syllabi from 26 leading institutions with step-by-step strategies to advocate successfully for curricular innovation. Conceived with comprehensiveness in mind, these resources cover both inspiration and implementation for…

This book is an easy-to-read primer that describes what it takes to increase student achievement at every grade level, subject area, and student group. Readers will learn how to use data to drive their continuous improvement process as they develop an appreciation of the various types of data, uses for data, and how data are involved with the…

This publication offers guidance to school-board members, superintendents, and district staff in the planning, implementation, and rebuilding phases of a faculty or staff strike. It is intended to be used before a strike is imminent so that a strike plan can be implemented and the effects during and after a strike can be mitigated. The handbook…

The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) documents dimensions of quality in undergraduate education and provides information and assistance to colleges, universities, and other organizations to improve student learning. Its primary activity is annually surveying college students to assess the extent to which they engage in educational…

Presents strategies for solving 13 common personnel problems that frequently emerge with the implementation of year-round schools. Issues focus on staffing and working conditions. (MLF)

In "Hosemann v. Oakland Unified School District," a California Superior Court ruled that Oakland public schools have an affirmative duty to alleviate crime and violence on school campuses. Both students and staff members are now protected against violent acts on school grounds. Guidelines are offered for school boards and administrators…

After Proposition 13 passed in California, a series of 19 major bills imposed fiscal limits on the K-12 school system. One action is assigning a fiscal advisor to assume control in a district in financial distress. Lists the symptoms of a financially ill school district and highlights 24 items of a recovery plan. (MLF)

An ongoing, interdisciplinary reading program for students in grades 7-10 in Perris Union High School District (California) is described. Initiated in 1979 as a result of low reading scores, the program divides all incoming seventh grade students into homogeneous groups. In the first 6 weeks of school these new groups meet once a day for 50…

Focusing on the issue of culture and its impact on education in California, this document offers glimpses into the lives of individuals who ask the question, "Is there now or will there ever be a common American culture?" Organized into 10 articles, the first article, "Whose Culture is This? Whose Curriculum Will It Be?"…

A cooperative community-school district counseling program to reduce truancy and juvenile delinquency in Inglewood, California is described. Material, in the form of official memos, is divided into four sections. Section 1 describes project funding and target students. Section 2 contains statistics related to the numbers of students served, put on…

A study was sponsored by the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to: (1) document and analyze the information needs of various groups (e.g., the legislature, state agencies, and community colleges) with respect to the state's community colleges and to prepare a matrix of information needs and uses; (2) inventory the…

The experience of California's community colleges in coping with the crisis created by Proposition 13 suggests that there are elements in institutional finance, mission, governance, planning, decision making, and information systems that can be monitored and manipulated to avoid administrative chaos in times of change. (MSE)

The goal of California's classroom size reduction (CSR) program is to have 20 or fewer students in kindergarten through grade 3 classrooms. Districts receive $650 for each student in a reduced classroom. Describes how districts implemented the plan and offers five lessons from struggles and successes with CSR. A table displays average elementary…

Analysis of 27 indicators gives California a "D" for the way it treats its children. A number of other reports have documented the crisis facing children. Proposes citizens becoming a strong diverse group of advocates for the needs of children. Summarizes the action agenda of "The Right Start for California's Children." (MLF)