Guidelines are provided for the development and operation of Tennessee programs for the mentally handicapped. Information on the two separate educable and trainable programs covers goals, administration, and instructional program. Guidelines for evaluation are also presented; a list of services is appended. (JD)

This report by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission to the Governor and the General Assembly identifies the major issues facing the state, and makes recommendations. Tennessee must expand educational opportunity for its young people and provide more programs and assistance for disadvantaged and low income youth. The community college program…

Explains the structure of Tennessee's Career Ladder Program for teachers, with the primary focus on evaluation procedures used at the state level for identifying teachers in the top two to five career levels. Covers evaluation criteria, evaluation data sources, use of peer evaluators, and evaluation processes. (PGD)

This brief is based on the 61-page report of the same name. This paper, commissioned by the Brookings Institution, studies the emergence of the mixed delivery model, in which pre-kindergarten is delivered in community-based settings and schools. It describes findings of a state survey CLASP conducted to understand the policy choices,…

This annual report complies with the requirements of Tennessee's Public Education Governance Reform Act of 1984, which directs the State Board of Education and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission to prepare a report on: (1) the extent of duplication in elementary-secondary and postsecondary education in Tennessee; (2) the extent to which…

Urban Impact is a Title II Teacher Quality Enhancement Act partnership grant supporting the development of new strategies and structures to strengthen the preparation and development of beginning teachers in urban settings in Tennessee. This study evaluated the success of Urban Impact in establishing professional and social supports for the first…

This paper describes the scoring of the upper levels of the Career Ladder system for teachers in the Tennessee Career Ladder Evaluation Systems. The instruments used to evaluate teachers include classroom observation, dialogue with the teacher, a peer questionnaire, student questionnaires, a professional skills test, professional development and…

Compiled to promote the development of high quality, affordable, and accessible day care programs in West Tennessee, this manual helps prospective child caregivers decide which kind of day care to operate and describes start-up steps and program operation. Section 1 focuses on five basic questions of potential caregivers: (1) Which type of child…

Summaries of the design, planning, and implementation of performance funding programs in Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Washington reveal the challenges and opportunities of this reform approach. Performance measures and objectives and the history of the program in each…

The statewide goals and objectives of Tennessee's plan for educational excellence, the 21st Century Challenge, are outlined in this legislative committee report. The major initiatives under each goal will be implemented within 3 to 4 years. Goals and an example of the several objectives under each goal are: first grade readiness (e.g., require all…

Intended primarily for principals and guidance counselors, this monograph contains 13 articles written by practitioners associated with the Comprehensive Career Development Project for Secondary Schools in Tennessee. These articles share the thoughts, ideas, and experiences of practitioners who have implemented or planned for the implementation of…

A subcommittee report introduces the subject of these joint hearings--the problem of infant mortality in the United States; addresses the need for the legislation; summarizes the proposed legislation; and lists endorsing organizations. The hearings examine both the scope of the problem and S. 1209, legislation to create a national commission to…

In 2002, the Tennessee Department of Education asked the Appalachia Educational Laboratory (AEL) at Edvantia, Inc. to develop content for online professional development that would help meet the goals of the state's Reading First Program. In response, laboratory staff developed and subsequently delivered Assessment and Intervention in a…

This paper explores the functioning of the low-inference observation system used as part of the Tennessee Career Ladder evaluation system, which provides teachers with the opportunity to qualify for additional pay on the basis of outstanding performance. The analysis of the functioning of this form is intended to provide the basis for the ongoing…

A statewide career education needs assessment was done in Tennessee by surveying all superintendents and samples of principals, teachers, and community leaders. State employment security data and Career Maturity Inventory (CMI) scores for a sample of the state's ninth graders were secondary information sources. The primary conclusion was that the…