Physical education is critical to addressing childhood obesity, yet many school-based programs do not meet established quality standards and teachers are called upon to change. Little is known about how change is initiated and its associated internal and external factors. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate physical education…

Given what system leaders must accomplish with limited resources, they must make bold decisions about their current investments to achieve high-priority goals related to implementing college- and career-ready standards. This workbook is designed to guide users through a five-step process of understanding what professional learning is available in…

Technical assistance (TA) has long been a standard, overarching strategy for assisting, states, agencies, family members, and practitioners with building capacity for service and system change initiatives. But, what is meant by the term "technical assistance"? What is known about the technical assistance strategies that are likely to…

This brief paper offers an inventory to help implement change strategies and achieve person-centered planning for people with severe disabilities. The inventory is intended to examine use of 12 resources that facilitate change and increase the chance of good outcomes. A visual display of the model on which the inventory is based is provided first.…

As a practicum project, an elementary school counselor developed and implemented a parent education program centered on the use of parents as models and peer facilitators for other parents. Based upon a survey of parents' self-professed needs, the program focused on parenting skills designed to help children avoid such high-risk behaviors as…

A new Chapter 1 law, P.L. 100-297, was passed in 1988. Chapter 1 schools must examine the program operated during the previous school year. Schools that fail to demonstrate overall achievement gains must develop a Program Improvement Plan (PIP), a document describing how the Chapter 1 program in that school will be modified. This guide provides a…

The design and results of a program evaluation of the Department Chairpersons Project in Florida are examined. The objective of the 1982 project was to design and test a model for planned change in higher education using Florida's university chairs. After presenting the history of the project, the following major project goals are described:…

This paper describes a program designed to increase student motivation to complete homework assignments. The targeted population consisted of 3rd, 4th, 9th, and 10th grade students attending schools in the Midwest. Analysis of probable cause data reveals that parental involvement can be insufficient and misdirected. Homework can lack relevance to…

Project RETAIN (Retention in Education Technical Assistance and Information Network) is a Florida project that assists school districts through identification and dissemination of effective practices that keep students with mild disabilities in school. One part of the project examined dropout rates from Florida's 67 school districts and their…

Drawing on the experience of public schools in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this document details a planning model and process of middle level reorganization. Following an examination of the impetus for change and how recent changes in the nation's economy, demographics, and family structure have shaped the context for educational change, collaborative…

A strong local economy which allows residents of a community to work and shop near their homes is perhaps the best safeguard against the threats of urban sprawl, economic stagnation, physical deterioration and loss of unique identity facing many small towns. Utilizing a six-phase process advocated by the University of Wisconsin-Extension,…

The design and features of a model minority retention program are discussed. Components of successful retention programs include: commitment to attract and retain minority students, ongoing sessions to sensitize the campus community to minority students, academic involvement, tenured minority faculty and staff, support services, and minority…

This guide is intended to help in planning inclusive educational programs for children and youth with deaf-blindness or other severe disabilities. The guide covers: the importance of "person first language" in referring to people with disabilities, the roles of all participants in the inclusive school community; increasing awareness; creating a…

This study was conducted to examine the relationship between state agencies and higher education in planning for the personnel components of Part H of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The study used a qualitative research design, involving five states, to examine the process of developing and maintaining working relationships…

A series of marketing and early intervention strategies were developed to increase female enrollment in technology education (TE) in a New Jersey township with residents of all social classes/income levels. Among the main project activities were the following: (1) development of a comprehensive curriculum intervention called Technology Education…