Promise programs are discussed as a policy movement that began with the 2005 launch of the Kalamazoo Promise. Since then, programs bearing the Promise label or sharing similar features have spread across the higher educational landscape, appearing in most states and across postsecondary sectors. Simultaneously, scholarly literature discussing…

The article revisits the literature on educational partnerships in an attempt to re-frame and update conceptual frameworks to be used by school and district leaders for partnership development and evaluation. It also synthesizes and analyzes empirical literature specific to developing educational partnerships or analyzing the strengths that…

Teacher preparation plays a critical role in ensuring that teachers are prepared to lead and impact student learning from the first day they are responsible for student learning. The best way to ensure that every teacher is "profession-ready" from their first day as a teacher-of-record is for preparation programs to incorporate teacher…

This article attempts to describe the creation and implementation of the first Professional Development School (PDS) model of teacher education in Panama. The authors set the context within brief histories of international education and PDSs and provide operational definitions of the critical terminology. To be sure, the scope and scale of the…

Over the past year, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have received a great deal of attention from the academic community and the media. The EUA Secretariat has followed the development of the MOOCs since the beginning of 2012, surveying discussion forums and publications, but also assessing the websites of MOOC providers and participating in…

In response to a critique (EC 231 995) of the research bases of his three-ring conception of giftedness, the author notes selectivity and bias in the critic's methodology, raises larger issues (such as equity) underlying identification and programing for the gifted, and discusses the role of theory and the need for action. (DB)

The paper is a product of the 3-year project, "Functional Mainstreaming for Success," designed to develop a model for instructional mainstreaming of handicapped children (3-6 years old) in community settings. The paper reviews the literature defining "mainstreaming," notes that mainstreaming is not the wholesale return of exceptional students from…

This monograph examines the concept of competency-based education (CBE) as it applies to elementary and secondary schools by identifying the defining characteristics and underlying rationale that distinguish CBE from other educational approaches, by describing a decision-making framework for use with CBE programs, and by discussing several…

This booklet discusses the definition and purpose of a comprehensive needs assessment, summarizes information on eight selected needs assessment models, and presents a step-by-step plan for school districts to follow in conducting a comprehensive needs assessment. The main part of the booklet consists of a detailed outline for conducting a school…

Article presented guidelines for a program of environmental education and discussed attitudes toward the biophysical atmosphere. (Author/RK)

Compares definitions and core elements of learning organizations promulgated by Peter Senge, Victoria Marsick and Karen Watkins, Nancy Dixon, Michael Marquardt, Mike Pedler, and others. Discusses leadership implications and the need for employees to create a new learning infrastructure incorporating new leaders, critical thinking, and envisioning.…

Traces the evolution of current definitions of the gifted and talented. Examines a model of assessment, and presents steps in the selection of students for a gifted and talented program. (CT)

The paper presents a rationale for the use of an educational model for meeting the mental health needs of children and youth. Implications of the current federal definition are examined relative to programing needs in academic, social, emotional, psychotic behavior, and career education areas. (Author/CL)

Providing state agencies involved in vocational education with a clear picture of their responsibilities, this document presents guidelines for developing vocational education state plans. The first section reviews basic planning concepts and terminology. The focus of this review is on delineation of the policy (strategic) planning and operation…

Competency Based Education (CBE) is reviewed. Competence is defined as a complex network of knowledge, performance, and attitudes. Methods for competency identification and validation are reviewed, and assessment at all learning levels is emphasized. (Author/MLW)