Elementary charter schools increasingly serve students who are at-risk for reading challenges, giving them a critical role in establishing literacy for young children. This article examines the complexities of starting early childhood literacy programs in charter schools. Specifically, the first year of K-3 literacy programs in a new and a…

This article reviews the literature base on class size reduction and proposes a new analytic framework that we believe provides practically useful explanations of how primary class size reduction works. It presents descriptions of classroom practice and grounded explanations for how class size reduction affects educational core activities by…

Basic education is universal education, which aims to improve the basic quality of a nation's people. In the three decades since reform and opening up, earth-shaking changes have taken place in the quality of China's basic education. This article describes the path of development and changes in China's basic education over the past thirty years…

Over the past six years, the authors have been project leaders for three distance education initiatives in Cape Verde and Mozambique: (1) a blended learning master's degree in multimedia in education for faculty in Cape Verdean public higher education institutions (2005-2008); (2) a teacher training programme for 1375 elementary teachers provided…

The study examined variations in district performance in KCPE national examination in Kenya between 2001 and 2007. The individual change model revealed that district poverty rate was not a significant predictor of either the initial district performance (2001) or the rate of change over the seven-year period. The regional context of North Eastern…

The growing emphasis on organizational change and curriculum intervention is given a new look through the eyes of a change process model that provides a framework for examining the steps in developing, implementing, evaluating, and expanding a career development program. (Author)

To improve its reading program, a Pennsylvania district involved its teachers in retaining consultants who would work collaboratively with them. This model has been used in each of four elementary schools for the past seven years. The district allocates $1,800 per school for consultants, instructional materials, and substitutes who release…

Over the past several decades, researchers, politicians, and corporate leaders have focused reform efforts on the size of educational contexts. Hundreds of billions of public and private dollars have been invested to reduce the size and scope of both classrooms and schools (Lee & Ready, 2007). Unlike many education reforms, these downsizing…

This report investigates the concept of individualized education both from a descriptive view of its general features and purposes and from an analytical view of specific components in such systems, identifying the component steps necessary for planning and implementing individualization. Chapter one deals with the importance of individualized…

Describes the rationale, specific objectives, and sessions of a course in assertive training developed for young people from approximately 11 to 14 years of age. Responses to the program, cautions for potential leaders, and uses for counselors are summarized. (Author)

Responding to a need among Pacific Northwest schools for assistance in changing their literacy programs, this paper presents case studies of 2 schools that were part of the Equity in Early Literacy Development program, which supported the schools in moving from individual classroom literacy innovations to schoolwide practices consistent with…

Describes a collaborative project between Canadian elementary and junior high school counselors designed to ease the transition between elementary and junior high school. The orientation program included school visits and tours, counseling sessions, a buddy system, and a concentrated effort to combat rumors. (JAC)

Disturbed at students' low math scores on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills, an elementary school principal in Port Lavaca, Texas bolstered teachers' math instruction confidence and developed a three-point improvement plan. Teachers stressed objectives to be tested, used manipulatives, taught problem-solving strategies, and gained more time…

An increase in verbal and physical encounters among elementary students led to the implementation of a conflict resolution program to assist teachers and students in solving interpersonal problems. The project was implemented over 8 months in grades three through five in a private elementary school. The goal of the project was to teach students…