A comprehensive resource for program assessment in student services, this volume provides practitioners with an overview of the what and why of program evaluation and access to the tools to design and carry out an assessment project, communicate the results, and implement the findings. In Part 1, "The Context for Assessment in Student Affairs,"…

Given the abundance of open education initiatives that aim to make educational assets freely available online, the time seems ripe to explore the potential of open education to transform the economics and ecology of education. Despite the diversity of tools and resources already available--from well-packaged course materials to simple games, for…

Written by a practicing superintendent for practitioners, this book provides guidelines for becoming a vision-based, reflective leader. Part 1 (chapters 1 through 6) conveys general principles of educational leadership based on personal experience. Part 2 (chapters 7 through 11) provides examples of effective, exemplary programs from Pittsburgh…

Today's children are bombarded with images of violence in cartoons, news reports, television shows, computer games, movies, and other media. In growing numbers, they are also exposed to real-life violence in their own homes and communities--as witnesses, victims, and increasingly, as perpetrators. Emphasizing the need for early intervention and…

This book explores why past efforts to reform the human services system have had marginal impact in improving the quality of life for children and families, and offers new directions for future social service reform. Chapter 1 examines the sociopolitical antecedents of service integration that have emerged from the uniquely democratic experience…

This book reports on a national study of the master's degree, how people involved view their experiences, development of a typology of four "idealized" program types, and identification of characteristics associated with positive master's experiences. The study used an open-ended, multicase design grounded in interviews with 781 individuals…

This book presents the methods and findings of a critical review of the "Dictionary of Occupational Titles" (DOT) published by the United States Department of Labor. Following an introduction to the scope of the study in the first chapter, the book describes the study and its results in eight following chapters. Chapter 2 contains a…

This collection of readings in support of inclusive education for students with disabilities offers rationales for inclusion, personal accounts of individuals involved, and strategies for facilitating change. Stressed throughout is the idea that inclusion is an attitude or belief system, not an action or set of actions. The readings identify…

This book is the culmination of extensive discussion among a panel of economists led by Eric A. Hanushek. The panel argues that improvement of schools depends more on better uses of resources than on the provision of added funds. The book outlines a plan to improve school performance without increasing expenditures. Specifically, it calls for more…

An expert on second language acquisition examines and refutes five commonly offered arguments against bilingual education: (1) it is responsible for the high Hispanic dropout rate; (2) most immigrants succeed without bilingual education; (3) the United States is the only nation that has bilingual education; (4) bilingual education failed in…

Various components of quality early childhood programs are detailed in the papers contained in this book. In the opening chapter, Mildred Dickerson and Martha Ross assess the current status of child care in the United States. Milly Cowles, in a chapter on curriculum, outlines the essential components of effective early childhood programs. Mac…

As the school-age population in the United States becomes increasingly culturally diverse and economically heterogeneous, public schools are confronted with issues of program specialization and social integration. Programs designed for students with special needs often take the form of discrete instructional structures. One consequence of targeted…

This book provides a group of articles concerning the equity and efficiency of prepaid college tuition plans. Chapters: (1) introduce the subject; (2) examine the competing financial theories at play in this field; (3) present a study of the Michigan Education Trust's decision to expand its subscriber base by offering a monthly payment option; (4)…

A synthesis of existing research and commentary, this book seeks to clarify the national experience with school desegregation and to identify ways of maximizing the potential benefits and reducing the possible costs of desegregation. Chapters 1 and 9 discuss assumptions about the overall consequences of desegregation, while Chapters 2 through 8…

This booklet discusses mainstream and special education interaction through the experiences and conclusions of a working group of persons with disabilities, parents, administrators, mainstream teachers, teachers in special education, therapists, and professionals in special needs from 10 European countries. It focuses upon the special needs…