Adolescent literacy achievement across the United States is in crisis. More than eight million students in grades 4 to 12 are identified as struggling readers. These students, who perform below grade level in reading and writing, are at high risk for failure in all content subjects and ultimately for dropping out of school. Professionals in the…

The Maryland Middle Grades School Policy Initiative addresses the polices and practices that support improved school and student performance. To document changes in policies and practices, this series of publications entitled "Milestones" was developed. Each publication traces the development, implementation, evaluation, and refinement…

Maryland's School Improvement Through Instructional Process (SITIP) program involved 24 local education agencies (LEAs) in implementing one or more research-based instructional models: Active Teaching, Mastery Learning, Student Team Teaching, and Teaching Variables. A summary is presented of: (1) descriptions of each of the instructional models;…

The Michigan Department of Education implemented a large-scale social action program through its Compensatory Education School Aid Act of SY 1971-72. Schools received $200 per pupil and were held accountable for pupil achievement. This paper describes the educational delivery systems in three urban schools, the evaluation of pupil achievement, and…

The School Improvement Through Instructional Process (SITIP) Program, initiated in Maryland in 1980, was concerned with improving classroom and school activities through the application of process-product research on classroom and school effectiveness. All 24 local education agencies voluntarily implemented one or more of four research-based…

Presents a meta-analytic review of evaluations of state-funded preschool programs over 20 years. Identifies several methodological flaws but also suggests that pattern of findings offers modest support for positive impact in improving children's developmental competence, improving later school attendance and performance, and reducing subsequent…

What is needed to help children succeed at high levels is already known, and that vision and commitment are essential to bring about reform efforts that research has already established as effective. Conditions that contribute to academic success and well being include nurturing and supportive families, economically and socially healthy…

In response to the recommendations of the New Jersey Special Education Study Commission and input from parents, educators, and the general public, the New Jersey Department of Education's Division of Special Education developed "A Plan To Revise Special Education in New Jersey" (1986), commonly called P2R. P2R calls for changes in the…

In 1992-93, the Washington State Migrant Education Program provided extensive supplementary educational services to an unduplicated count of 12,938 children and youths, from birth to 22 years of age. In this program, state-level management information, database development and maintenance, computer programming, and electronic communications are…

Presented are a description and evaluation report of the Comprehensive Support Services Program (CSSP), a regional effort by seven New York school districts to identify, evaluate, and provide supplemental educational support for learning disabled students with special educational needs through a multi-disciplinary team in each school. Summarized…

An administrative survey of Adult Basic Education (ABE) programs in Pennsylvania during fiscal 1982-83 indicated that, although the level of funding for adult education programs was reduced from 1981-82 and 1982-83, progress was made in increasing the availability of programs throughout the state. However, the rate of enrollees who dropped out of…

This publication summarizes presentations and discussions from a conference that addressed specific issues in the National Assessment of Vocational Education and in the 1990 Perkins Act that mandated the assessment. Introductory materials include a summary of consensus issues from the conference (David Boesel), welcoming remarks (Bruno Manno), and…

This collection of 22 papers is organized by the five conference topics. "Part 1: Effects of the Perkins Act on Policy and Practice" contains five papers: "Federal Legislation as Rorschach Test: Methodological Issues in Assessing the Effects of the 1990 Perkins Act on States and Localities" (Grubb); "Effects of the 1990…

A study assessed the impact of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Vocational Education's practical nurse program for funding years 1979-1980 (38 programs), 1980-1981 (40 programs), and 1981-1982 (41 programs). Researchers reviewed literature pertaining to the state of the art of health care both in Pennsylvania and across the Nation. Next, they…

Independent evaluators examined the progress of the Berrien County Intermediate School District in Berrien County, Michigan, in implementing Michigan's Career Preparation System. The evaluation established that the district has provided the leadership, training, resources, and continued support to implement a systemwide school-to-career reform…