Summarizes Virginia Tech's educational reform activities inspired by the NASSP Alliance project, focusing on improved mentor training for faculty, the positive influence of assessor training on curriculum design and delivery, practitioners' increased involvement in program planning and implementation, consortium networking's effects on information…

Presents a rating scale for evaluating programs that are working to include students with high-incidence disabilities. The scale evaluates 12 general components with 47 items. Its use in over 50 schools in Florida to aid in program development, program monitoring, program evaluation, staff development, and parent education is described. (DB)

Describes development of the "M-Quality" program at the University of Michigan: a continuous quality-improvement approach tailored to the school's plant operations. Discusses the program's planning stages and the problems encountered and lessons learned from the process. (GR)

Describes an experimental program in educational administration offered at the University of Judaism in Los Angeles, focusing on program implementation and evaluation. Provides a set of changes in a small leadership-training program. The program and its changes serve as models for adjustment in small leadership-preparation programs, particularly…

Summarizes findings from a quantitative and qualitative longitudinal study examining the twelve-year evolution of a district-wide Discipline-Based Art Education (DBAE) program. Chronicles changes during the period, identifying factors that influenced particular developments and relating them to aspects of DBAE theory. Concludes that program…

Illustrates the benefits of an aggressive library program of regularly scheduled and professionally curated art exhibitions and related events. Describes the Visual Arts Program at the Pacific Beach branch library (San Diego). A sidebar by Debra Wilcox Johnson discusses libraries' development of cultural programming for adults. (AEF)

With help from National Association of Scholars, 11 colleges have begun programs using the Great Books curriculum, designed to expose students to the best of Western civilization. The programs vary in the degree to which they adhere to Western works; some faculty are including non-Western civilization. Securing campus approval for the programs has…

Details development of "Fridays at the College" program in which middle school students and their teachers participate in enrichment programs lead by college professors. Discusses the evolution, goals, structure, and benefits of the program, as well as the advisory period that focuses on student development. Provides a model of college…

This article describes how a group of elementary teachers set out to master their instructional software to turn the collection into an effective aid for enabling the success of students with and without disabilities. It discusses planning for systematic intervention and positive outcomes through the use of computer programs. (Contains…

Discusses Parent-to-Parent support programs for parents of children with special needs, focusing on the matched experience of two parents, results of a national survey of Parent-to-Parent programs, guidelines for starting a Parent-to-Parent program, and resources for those interested in Parent-to-Parent support programs. (Author/DB)

Describes the implementation in the Fall River (Massachusetts) Diocese of "AIDS and the Arts," an elementary school intervention program designed to increase students' decision-making capacity, broaden their knowledge of HIV/AIDS, and teach responsible social behaviors. (YKH)

A powerful vision can help a school focus its values and reach beyond the ordinary to the extraordinary. No matter how well-formulated a vision can fail if inappropriate or when poorly communicated or implemented. A Northeastern Regional Lab document entitled "The Walk" can prompt school community members' reflective thinking in the…

Tells what has happened the last two years at the University of Louisville's English department. Presents a brief explanation of why the University of Louisville's English department decided to redefine their mission--moving all professorial faculty into first-year composition. Offers some general comments about what the author has learned as a…

Discusses a Canadian public library's outreach program, whose objective was to connect with those families who were unable to access the library. Highlights include: the value of partnerships; funding and sponsorships; the visiting library for children; recruitment and training of volunteers; gift books for children; story boxes; community book…

Western Washington University's Center for Vocational Educator Preparation identified a prioritized list of technology teacher competencies validated by practitioners and an expert panel. Instructional strategies, resources, and assessment methods for teacher education were developed based on the competencies. (SK)