Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS), as a fully integrated set of practices and interventions directed to academics and behavior, with emerging applications to social and emotional learning in the teaching/learning process, is very much in its ascendency in schools across the United States and elsewhere. As a result, there is an emerging need to…

Since the passage of No Child Left Behind, large-scale assessments have come to play a central role in federal and state education accountability systems. Teachers and parents have expressed a number of concerns about their state testing programs, such as too much time devoted to testing and the high-stakes use of testing for teacher evaluation.…

The authors argue that the ongoing research by the National Academies, the National Research Council, and the National Science Foundation are imperative. The findings and recommendations on what the school systems of America must do to develop specific educational programming will position the U.S. at the forefront of the world's economies if…

In 2005, Colorado lawmakers radically changed the state's higher education funding system. Until this point Colorado, like other states, had supported higher education by appropriating operating revenues to the institutions and providing some financial aid to low-income students. But in 2005, instead of giving the state's general funds for…

The mother of an exceptionally gifted six-year-old boy describes her frustrating experiences attempting to obtain appropriate education for her son. Minnesota's failure to commit resources to support gifted students is criticized, and the boy's problems with self-esteem, a different learning style, and distractibility are examined. (JDD)

Several dimensions of state-sponsored, reduced-class-size programs are addressed. At present, 20 states are contemplating following the lead of Indiana's PRIME TIME and Tennessee's STAR programs. Yet the effectivenessness of reduced class size in elementary schools continues to be uncertain and controversial. No one knows whether reduced class…

Defines four essential elements of a system of educational standards: (1) common, rigorous student achievement standards; (2) state-administered assessments; (3) explicit rewards for achievement; and (4) opportunity to reach the standards. Practices to ensure these conditions and enact a system based on these elements are discussed. (SLD)

This booklet presents photographs and quotations illustrating the effective inclusion of children with disabilities in New Hampshire's public schools. The booklet was created to acknowledge and celebrate families, educators, and communities who have welcomed all students into neighborhood schools and classrooms; to energize dedicated people who…

Bringing standards, assessment, and accountability from the state down to school districts is not the right way to implement new policies. Standards, assessment, and accountability must be thought of in a holistic way, and the complexity of the issues must be recognized. Educators must welcome the demand and directive that standards be…

This study was undertaken in response to Congressional concern about the relationship between two major federal programs: the Chapter 1 Handicapped Program and the Education of the Handicapped Act (EHA). The study found that, although the services handicapped children receive are similar in both programs, they often are more frequent or more…

The Louisiana Program Plan for the Administration of Vocational Education calls for assessing the state's progress in meeting the sex equity purposes of the Carl Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act and evaluating the effectiveness of programs and activities supported by the need for sex equity. Criteria for selecting sex equity…

This report seeks to provide an objective review of Iowa's educational services to students with attention deficit disorders (ADD), and to present recommendations for maintaining and enhancing these services. State laws and rules and federal legislation and regulations guiding such students' eligibility for special education programs and services…

This discussion paper examines the current state of practice of adult literacy education in Washington State as well as initiatives to improve program effectiveness in a number of areas, including staff quality and curriculum. The paper discusses staff and curriculum development being undertaken by the ABLE (Adult Basic and Literacy Educator's)…

This report contains a transcript of the presentations of the primary speakers at a consultation on day care and the public schools organized by The Interchurch Center in New York. In addition to the presentations, the report provides highlights from a round table discussion of the issues raised by the speakers. Presentations described preliminary…

This book contains 30 chapters on the tech prep initiative in Texas: "The Identity of Tech Prep in Texas" (Tunstall); "A Snap-Shot of the Impact of the Tech Prep Initiative in the Governor's 24 Planning Regions" (Brown); "The Tech Prep Consortium Directors: The Architects for the Future of Texas" (Hensley et al.);…