In February 2005, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report that raised concerns about the effectiveness of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Administration for Children and Families' (ACF) oversight of about 1,600 local organizations that receive nearly $7 billion in Head Start grants. GAO was asked to report…

In March, the author invited the three leading presidential contenders--Hillary Clinton, John McCain, and Barack Obama--to submit essays about their educational platforms. Obama submitted an essay while McCain did not. Due to seemingly lack of response from the candidates, the author concluded that no one is sure what to do at the national level,…

The "No Child Left Behind Act" (NCLB, 2001) required schools to make adequate yearly progress, use disaggregated data in planning, and employ highly-qualified teachers. The school leaders became those responsible for the success of the school. In South Carolina the Department of Education has recently sought to address adequacy needs…

The authors share a successful Fulbright Group Projects Abroad grant award. The purpose of the grant was to enhance American educators' experience and knowledge of South Africa, in particular, and sub-Saharan Africa more generally. Toward that end, participants experienced a multifaceted view of South Africa's geographical diversity, both physical…

This paper presents some facts about Pennsylvania's student achievement for 2010. These facts are: (1) Eighty two percent of Pennsylvania schools are meeting all of their Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) targets--up from 78% of schools last year; (2) Pennsylvania students exceed state academic goals and achieve double digit gains since 2002; (3)…

Educators including school psychologists must negotiate the differing demands of legal mandates and recent educational initiatives that impact their practice and school climate in order to maintain positive effects for students and other school personnel. The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act,…

Economic vitality and environmental protection have long been linked in New England, and will be again with efforts to address climate change in the region. There is an emerging body of literature to support the potential economic benefits of a so-called "green economy" in the region and the nation. In New Hampshire, economic studies of…

Federally funded national centers offer high-quality products and resources for use by teachers, family members, and others. By design, they offer resources that are low cost or no cost. This article presents details about several centers that may have resources to support your work. They include: (1) Center for Early Literacy Learning (CELL); (2)…

This study examines the content of press releases from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Science and Technology Centers (STCs) to determine how public information officers (PIOs) presented the outcomes of centers to journalists and the public. A total of 68 press releases were analyzed for type of news covered, visibility of centers and their…

Technology has become more of a necessity for everyday use. It not only plays a crucial role in everyday use, it is also vital in the educational arena. Since the advent of the current technology age, technology has become an important educational tool in U.S. schools. Spending on technology. for K-12 education in the United States has jumped, and…

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) has had several tangible effects on education and the monitoring of education. There have been both intended and unintended consequences. ESEA's newer generation of federal programs, such as Race to the Top, and the recent ESEA flexibility guidelines, have continued to push development of methods…

Members of the non-profit organization Education Resource Strategies (ERS) have worked for over a decade with leaders of urban school systems to help them organize talent, time and technology to support great schools at scale. One year into the Federal program they are noticing significant differences in district turnaround approaches, engagement…

This study describes a Head Start teacher professional development program conducted by a well-respected theatre-in-education organization. The professional development program provided teachers with opportunities to observe and participate in classroom drama sessions, introduced them to drama strategies and techniques, and guided them through a…

Using data on housing voucher recipients with school-aged children residing across the state of Wisconsin, we perform a three-stage analysis of the relationship between voucher receipt and the educational opportunities of children in recipient households. First, we examine the extent to which voucher receipt results in households relocating to a…

Following September 11, 2001, the number of international students coming to the United States dropped for the first time in over 30 years. While enrollments have rebounded, the U.S. image has declined in the Muslim world and elsewhere. To improve global attitudes toward America, the U.S. government funds higher education for international…