In the field of education, measuring the quality of teaching has reached a level of critical concern not only in K-12 academic education but also in the field of Career and Technical Education (CTE). Measuring the quality of teaching is integral to maintaining high standards. The state of Mississippi recognized a need for a systematic way to…

This unique collection of chapters takes the reader on a tour to explore innovative preservice and inservice teacher education practices from many regions of the United States, Canada and the world. Each of the chapters offers an authentic, documentary account of successful initiatives that break the traditional mold of teacher education. Section…

The report, "The Ready to Teach Program: A Federal Initiative in Support of Online Courses for Teachers", describes the history of the Ready to Teach Program and its role as one of the solutions to the national need to increase the performance of teachers through professional development. The report describes selected findings from the Eisenhower…

"Strengthening School Transitions for Students K-13," conceived and sponsored by NASSP and other organizations, was a project helping seven demonstration school districts address student transition problems. This article summarizes program accomplishments, critical transition points, and keys to success and describes each demonstration…

Four vanguard districts are committed to raising academic scores of students by increasing academic learning time; to turning average schools for disadvantaged students into exemplary schools; and, by carefully charting the process, to providing a scenario that can be useful to other schools. (Author/JM)

So far, the results of school restructuring efforts have been more rhetorical than real. As several University of Georgia projects illustrate, the work of newly decentralized, empowered schools embodies both high excitement and high anxiety. The contradictions of empowerment lie in attempting inimitable innovations while withstanding uncertainty…

This one-page guide provides a handy reference to help you understand state and federal accountability program terminology. Terms defined herein are: (1) Academic Performance Index (API); (2) Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP); (3) Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration Program (CSRD); (4) California Standards Tests (CSTs); (5) High Priority…

The National Follow Through Program is a federally funded initiative to improve the quality of educational services for students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. This report discusses the implementation and outcomes of the program. In the first part of the paper, a history of the program is provided and the diversity of educational…

The primary goal of the Southern Coalition for Educational Equity's New Orleans Effective Schools Project is to improve academic achievement at one middle school, Martin Behrman, in ways that can be replicated by schools facing similar problems. The Project is based on research findings about school improvement from the school effectiveness…

A study examined the impact of the "Closing the Achievement Gap" (CAG schools) program on the academic achievement of students in 30 schools serving high percentages of African American and economically disadvantaged students in West Virginia (WV), 2004-2008. The program assigned experienced educators, "CAG liaisons", to the…

The Ford Foundation's City High School Recognition Program (conducted in l982-83), was designed to find, document, and recognize the overall progress made in recent years by inner city high schools that previously had been failing. Through a blend of $l,000 recognition awards and $20,000 project grants, the program sought to reinforce the most…

This report presents the pre-and posttest results for the kindergarten year of the Kamehameha Early Education Program (KEEP) Class 2, 1973-1974. Results are presented for the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI), the Metropolitan Readiness Test (MRT), and the Standard English Repetition Test (SERT). Comparisons are made…

Comprehensive school reform (CSR) focuses on reorganizing and revitalizing entire schools, rather than on implementing individual programs. The idea behind CSR is that schools cannot educate all students to high levels unless all the education system's components work together toward a common goal. Choosing a CSR model can be difficult and…

Many low-performing high schools find it difficult to implement effective action plans because research is lacking and policy options are limited. Committees comprised of all major stakeholding groups, including administrators, teachers, counselors, support personnel, parents, and community members should be formed by schools to oversee every step…

Describes how, with the help of the federal government, a community in Portland, Oregon was able to rebuild a local elementary school following integration. (LRA)