Describes a project conducted to develop standards and guidelines for the improvement of industrial arts programs that fulfill the objectives of the Vocational Education Act of 1963, as amended by the Education Amendments of 1976. (LRA)

Effective improvement of accreditation standards for teacher education institutions must deal with deeply rooted problems such as inadequate educational finance and staffing. (LH)

Offers seven research-based guidelines to reduce the risk for at-risk learners and help schools implement early childhood programs with a literacy-enriched focus that fosters greater understanding of written language. (SR)

Describes a Master's of Arts in Writing program which is an attempted reform of the master's degree in English: an experimental curriculum designed to revive rhetorical approaches to the construction and interpretation of literary works. Outlines the program's strengths and the problems that emerged in the first three years. (MG)

Describes a fund raising project, the "palette of prizes," to raise money for theatre for children in Blair County, Pennsylvania. Discusses creation of theater presentations involving nearly the entire student body. Suggests 11 lessons for other communities interested in using Blair County's arts education programming as a model. Discusses…

Education is a lifelong process of continuous learning and renewal. This is necessary because of ongoing research and changes in technologies. For educators, the need for training leads to a continual search for learning opportunities from many sources. School administrators routinely provide in-service training. National and state associations…

"The Program Evaluation Standards," established by 16 professional associations, identify evaluation principles that should result in improved program evaluations that address utility, propriety, feasibility, and accuracy. This digest summarizes these standards. Guidelines and illustrative cases to assist in meeting these standards are…

This handbook is intended to assist correctional educators in improving postsecondary vocational programs for incarcerated persons. The guide is based on a study of exemplary characteristics and practices of postsecondary vocational programs in minimum-, medium-, and maximum-security correctional institutions. The introductory section includes…

The last in a three-part series, this report highlights Oregon's most pressing child care needs and suggests actions to be taken to realize Oregon's commitment to children's futures, a commitment evident in the fact that 30 of the state's 36 counties have designated high quality child care as a top priority. In this report, recommendations are…

To assure accountability to educational policy developed by elected and appointed leaders, agencies and organizations must adopt high quality evaluation designs tailored to meet three basic tenets: (1) different processes for policy formation and demonstration of accountability; (2) clear accountability expectations built into policies; (3)…

It is pointed out in this discussion that mentoring, as a delivery tool in a beginning teacher induction program, has great potential, and the use of experienced educators in guiding relatively inexperienced teachers is of value not only to the first-year teacher but also to the mentor. In examining the goals of mentoring-induction programs, the…

The Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia has developed a 5-year teacher education program to improve and strengthen preservice preparation. Changes in the program are based on beliefs regarding characteristics of effective teacher education programs and the requirements necessary to implement those characteristics. The program…

This report discusses five issue areas in which it is believed substantial improvements in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) might be achieved. The unifying themes among these issues are to increase the visibility of NAEP, its relevance to policymakers, and its utility to state and local agencies. The first of five substantive…