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…

Federal regulations (U.S. Department of Education, 2007a) provide states with the flexibility to offer an alternate assessment based on modified academic achievement standards (AA-MAS). This assessment option is for a small group of students with disabilities who can make significant progress, but may not reach grade-level achievement within the…

The Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980 provides for annual federal incentive payments to states if they improve foster care programs by (1) avoiding unnecessary removal of children from their homes; (2) preventing extended stays in foster care; and (3) reunifying children with their families or placing them for adoption. To be…

Maryland presents guidelines for its unified approach to media in education. Part I presents goals for long-range planning of media technology programs and includes recommendations for achieving objectives in the following areas: (1) personnel and resources; (2) facilities; (3) assessment and evaluation; (4) cooperative activities; (5)…

This booklet outlines the standards for successful reading programs in Maryland as part of the national Right to Read effort. The first section discusses the purposes, development, and usage of established guidelines for the evaluation of successful reading programs. The second section discusses 28 standards to be met before a school's reading…

This document is intended to provide Maryland's public schools with the information needed to initiate and pursue Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) certification of their prekindergarten programs. After a brief introduction in section I, section II addresses the certification process in terms of definition, overview, and steps in…

Guidelines are presented for consideration in the development, review, submission, and approval of all new instructional programs in the Maryland Community Colleges (MCC). The first section of the manual explains: (1) operational definitions for transfer and occupational programs; (2) the five-year state plan listing; (3) letters of intent and…

Asset development is an emerging approach to promoting self-sufficiency for low-income workers. By promoting and rewarding savings, asset development strategies encourage individuals to set long-term economic goals. Asset development strategies can accomplish the following objectives: (1) give low-income workers the knowledge required to navigate…

The comprehensive state plan which is reported was developed over an 18-month period by nine cooperating task forces and uses federal, state, and community resources. After an outline of 10 priority recommendations for the state, a general discussion of mental retardation is given which includes estimates of prevalence at city, state, and national…

Farm to school (FTS) programs have been getting more and more attention these days. FTS programs aim to increase the supply of fresh, locally grown farm products served for meals and snacks in K-12 school environments, and tend to incorporate educational and experiential components designed to increase students' understanding of and engagement…

A product of the Project on Vocational Education Models for Linking Agencies Serving the Handicapped, this handbook is designed to assist state and local level personnel to develop effective linking strategies that will help meet the needs of handicapped students. It consists of 11 chapters. Following an introductory explanation of the purpose and…