The list of 61 finalists for the latest Race to the Top competition shows that the U.S. Department of Education was successful in enticing high-scoring applications from districts in rural America and in states that had not shared in the Race to the Top bounty before. But whether the ultimate winners, which will be announced this month, will be…

States seeking waivers under the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act are hoping to replace what is widely considered an outdated, but consistent, school accountability regime with a hodgepodge of complex school grading systems that are as diverse as the states themselves. That's the picture that emerged from an "Education Week" analysis of…

The research summary "Successful, Safe, and Healthy Students" presents the research background for the Obama administration's proposals for comprehensive, community-wide services in high-poverty neighborhoods, extended learning time, family engagement and safe schools. While these policies have broad and common-sense appeal, the research…

The middle grades are a time of change for adolescent learners. Middle schoolers are in the process of refining their social skills and their self-concept. They begin taking responsibility for their education and making decisions about their own learning. They start planning for college and careers, understanding for the first time how their…

This document describes the workshop, its objectives, and its participants; presents activity plan proposals for the pilot schools; and evaluates the effectiveness of the workshop in achieving its objectives. Four appendixes include (1) a list of the workshop participants; (2) a schedule of the work conference program; (3) the activity plan…

In December 1990, a project was begun at Mt. San Antonio College (MSAC) in Walnut, California, to develop a model accountability system based on the belief that educational quality is measured by individual achievement over time. This proposal for the Accountability Model (AM) presents information on project methodology and organization in four…

This report issued by the Minister of Public Education for the Saarland reviews current governmental policies and plans designed to effect an improved system of instruction from the primary to the university level. Consideration is also given to continuing education and education for the handicapped. Proceeding on the premise that the task of…

In response to Legislative Resolve 47 of the 1989 Alaska Legislature, the Alaska State Board of Education prepared this report on efforts to improve school performance and recommendations for legislative action. In the past year, the State Board met with educators, parents, Native leaders and organizations, nationally known experts, and…