This is the second in an occasional series called "Promising Practices: What Works in the Midwest." The series was launched to showcase innovative initiatives and effective ways to address common challenges and unique opportunities in higher education. Promising practices enable educators and policymakers to compare and benchmark…

Access to a quality, affordable college education remains a cornerstone of American economic and social development. Individuals from all backgrounds need the knowledge and skills afforded by higher education to compete in an increasingly integrated--and competitive--global economy. Greater educational attainment correlates with many positive…

The 1972-73 report provides evaluative perspectives on a variety of aspects of the Illinois public school program for gifted children. Sections provide an overview of the development of the Illinois programs; a review of independent evaluations of Gifted Area Service Centers; a summary of the first statewide survey of Area Service Center…

A report of the Illinois Gifted Program Evaluation, the document first presents origins, policies, and scope of the reimbursement section of the Illinois Plan for Program Development for Gifted Children. Outlined is the evaluation design, in which subjects were 34 school districts representing a 10% stratified random sample of 340 districts. Each…

A process description and preliminary evaluation are provided for the Weed and Seed initiative in Springfield (Illinois). This initiative involved local, state, and federal resources in projects that included (1) facility improvement, (2) drug prevention, (3) youth education and child care, (4) jobs and vocational training, (5) resident…

This report describes fiscal year 1998 grant allocations made under the Illinois Higher Education Cooperation Act (HECA) to support programs and projects involving cooperation among higher education institutions. A total of $16.59 million was allocated. Projects recommended for grant funds include 3 new and 12 continuing interinstitutional…

This paper explores the range of ways in which school districts are using Title I funds for early education through kindergarten and examines how the implementation of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) has impacted those investments. It also makes recommendations for local education agencies (LEAs) interested in creating Title I-funded early education…

This report of the second part of a proprietary education research and dissemination project (see note) covers three main areas related to proprietary schools: (1) the Directory of Illinois Resident Proprietary Schools (included); (2) development of a model inservice competency-based teacher education program for instructional personnel; and (3) a…

In phase 1 of this study Illinois proprietary institutions were surveyed to identify their vocational program offerings; a directory of their offerings was published. In phase 2 Illinois proprietary school administrators were interviewed, and the data was analyzed to determine resources available, the institution's readiness for cooperation and/or…

Selected information is displayed in the form of charts, tables, and graphs about: (1) the State Student Incentive Grant (SSIG) program and other state-level student financial assistance programs; (2) the primary state agency or organization responsible for administering these programs; and (3) the general state characteristics relating to student…

On-site evaluation visitations were made to seven institutions participating in fiscal year 1974 Education Professions Development Act (EPDA) 553 and 554 cooperative arrangement programs under the auspices of the Illinois Division of Vocational and Technical Education. A three-part evaluation instrument was designed and administered to project…