The federal government's role in PreK-12 education has long been contentious and continues to evolve. Many have written about education governance, but few have attempted to define an appropriate role for the federal government. That is the core purpose of this essay. The authors articulate a set of principles to guide the federal role in…

President Obama and congressional leaders have vowed to take action this year on the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), most recently reauthorized and rebranded as the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. While most observers remain skeptical that everyone will actually see a signing ceremony in 2011, it does appear likely that at least…

This article examines the contribution of the No Child Left Behind Act. The authors believe that the "other means" that can substantially advance equal educational opportunity are to provide "meaningful educational opportunities" for all children in each of the schools that they attend. In this article, the authors discuss…

This chapter is organized as follows. The first section examines the evolving state and federal role in education and the implications of an expanded federal role on the structure of the educational system. It pays particular attention to how the debate on the causes and solutions to school reform has shifted and the impact this has had on school…

This paper aims to inform federal education policy by examining Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and two federal efforts to improve teacher quality, the Eisenhower Professional Development Program and the highly qualified teacher provisions of the No Child Left…

The Birth to Three Inservice Training Project was a federally funded demonstration project which trained Connecticut early interventionists from a variety of backgrounds. The model stressed a conducive learning climate, mutual planning, diagnosis of individual learning needs, continuous evaluation, and follow-up training. The service delivery…

The purpose of this monograph was to present evidence for determining whether school-aged children were progressing toward attainment of the national physical education standards. Developed by a team of experts, the standards describe what students should know and be able to accomplish as a result of quality physical education (National…

In September of 1958, the 85th Congress passed Public Law 85-864, the National Defense Education Act. The step had not been taken lightly. For months congressional committees had been studying alternative bills. Widespread discussion had occurred in circles where educators and the educated were represented. Many proposals had been examined and…

This report is not a complete survey of educational extension in the United States. The limitations of time, space, and cost forestall a complete detailed statistical review of the work of the past biennium. A full account in detail would require visits to every Commonwealth, a very large expenditure of time and money, and a report of several…

School-family partnerships (SFPs) have been the focus of research, policy, and practice efforts for several years. Increasing the interest in SFPs has been the finding that when schools and families cooperate closely, children benefit. The more supportive links there are between settings, the more potential there is for healthy development. Such…

For more than a quarter of a century the United States has witnessed a period remarkable in the variety and the extent of its scientific achievements. This is all the more apparent if individuals compare developments in the fields of agriculture, engineering, and their allied sciences and industries with those of the preceding period. Likewise a…