Program managers frequently put staff training near the top of their lists of ongoing challenges. The mix of diverse, complex training needs in many programs means managers may be responsible for orienting new staff, implementing new administrative procedures, or facilitating steps toward long-term program improvement. The greatest underlying…

Guided pathways reforms can take several years to implement at scale because they require a thoroughgoing redesign of a college's major functions, including: (1) organizing programs into career-focused meta-majors to enhance student recruitment and exploration and program improvement; (2) mapping clear paths to degrees, employment, and further…

This article describes how seven schools in England improved their science provision by focusing on the professional development of their science technicians. In September 2013, the Gatsby Charitable Foundation funded the National Science Learning Centre to lead a project connecting secondary schools with experienced senior science technicians…

Nokia is the world leader in mobility, driving the transformation and growth of the converging Internet and communications industries. A truly global business, Nokia makes a wide range of mobile devices and provides people with experiences in music, navigation, video, television, imaging, games and business mobility through these devices. Nokia…

This is the third of three volumes that constitute the final evaluation report of Project STAR (State Technical Assistance Resources), an undertaking of the Maryland State Department of Education designed to help 36 elementary schools improve their reading programs. This volume is the project handbook and contains information concerning the…

Assessment, particularly formative assessment, is critical to knowing how a student is performing academically and how best to support that student. Teachers, especially new teachers, need ongoing support in developing and using both summative and formative assessments as an integral part of their instructional practice. Written collaboratively by…

Guidelines are presented for staff developers in preparing the content and planning for delivery of presentations. The basic planning techniques that are described are based upon learning theory and regard for the audience. (JD)

Research on staff development in rural and non-rural settings provides guidelines for effective practice. Research on rural staff development, however, must be increased and become more systematic and focused. (JD)

Students with low-incidence disabilities frequently receive less than optimal psychoeducational services because the specialized tests and instructional materials required to meet their idiosyncratic needs often are unavailable due to budget constraints, inadequate training of school personnel, and the difficulty school personnel have keeping…

A model of ongoing consultation was effectively implemented in a community group home for eight adults with severe and profound mental retardation. Two consultants taught staff members to use a token reinforcement system, engage clients in a variety of activities, and improve staff interactions with clients. (Author/DB)

This case study was initiated to test and refine a procedural model for structuring inservice programs and to produce a comprehensive description of a district inservice teacher education plan. The study involved an analysis of the inservice education program in a single school district. The procedural model used in the study was formulated using…

This monograph speaks to the basic problems confronting human services programs, and offers suggestions for improving guidance services. Specific concerns addressed are: (1) the need for more systematic program planning and evaluation; (2) an approach to effective planning and evaluation; (3) development of staff skills for use in the…

This Okaloosa-Walton Community College (Florida) Staff and Program Development (SPD) Plan provides a five-year framework to support the enhancement of college personnel and the expansion and improvement of college programs and services. To give direction and support to the activities of SPD, the document details a set of goals: (1) to evaluate…

The authors describe an initiative to improve child care for the children of teen parents. Since 1999, the Florida State University Center for Prevention and Early Intervention Policy has worked with seven childcare programs in four school districts to achieve this goal. The initiative included development of a quality improvement plan for each…

School administrators, eager to raise student achievement levels to meet the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act, are increasingly looking to staff development as a means to enhance student achievement. In this article, the author describes how Mountain View Alternative High School in Fairfax County, Virginia, an alternative high school…