The 71st Texas Legislature established several pilot programs for the 1989-90 and 1990-91 school years with the aim of improving the academic performance of and reducing the dropout rate of public school students. This report combines information about pilot programs from these 2 school years with cost surveys and descriptions of the programs.…

This legislative report presents the results of a pilot project conducted in eight suburban California school districts as part of an effort to develop a testing program identifying kindergartners with potential reading problems. The project was also intended to evaluate the program's effectiveness and gauge the feasibility of statewide…

The article discusses the findings of a study of a one-year pilot program to determine if the general objectives of community centers could be achieved as effectively and as efficiently in school buildings as in community centers housed in their own buildings. (Author/BP)

An Attendant Care Pilot Project, administered by the Home Care Service of New South Wales, Australia, and providing attendant care for 24 permanently severely physically disabled adults for 2 years, was evaluated. The patients were medically stable and intellectually capable of managing their own affairs; all had impairments which required…

Emphasizing career exploration and internship in the community for gifted and talented high school students, a career education project was implemented in three pilot schools in Jefferson County, Colorado. The model was adapted from an existing model which was designed for the regular school population and based on a prototype model developed by…

An 11-semester research team conducted an evaluation of the Concerted Services in Training and Education (CSTE) pilot projects in Arkansas, Minnesota, and New Mexico. CSTE is a direct action program which attempts to stimulate area development through coordination of services and programs at local and national levels. Using an evaluative model…

The Child Nutrition Act of 1998 authorized demonstration pilot projects in up to six school food authorities and a rigorous evaluation to assess the effects of providing free school breakfasts to elementary school children. This report describes the evaluation strategy and data collection plans. Part 1 of the report provides background…

This paper describes a six-month service-coordination pilot project (SCPP) designed to improve coordination activities among mental health service providers in a Canadian city. The aim of the project was to improve information sharing and joint treatment planning. Data show no effect of the SCPP, but service providers perceived improvements. (TJH)

Summarizes a study comparing effects of three different preschool models on urban public school children's success. Children enrolled in child-initiated programs mastered more basic skills than those in academically directed or middle-of-the-road classrooms. By fourth grade, the negative effects (lower scores and maladaptive behavior) of overly…

Describes the Instructional Technology Project (ITP) at Floyd College (Georgia), a two-year school where every student must lease a laptop computer to access CD-ROMs and the Internet. Focuses on issues such as how the laptops are used and Internet research. Argues against a total virtual education and assesses the contribution of the laptops. (CMK)

A Connecticut principal describes how his middle school explored benefits of looping for seventh and eighth graders. Results of a study evaluating the effects of a pilot project on student discipline, attitudes, and achievement were positive enough to justify expanding looping to all seventh- and eighth-grade classes. (Contains 19 references.)…

This publication is the third annual report and focuses on the expansion and results of the program after three years. The General Appropriations Act passed by the 78th Legislature contained a rider (Rider 29, page III-58) which continued the HEA Pilot Program for the current biennium. The rider requires that prospective students in high schools…

Background: The outcomes of a pilot program of staff development in communication support in the context of observed changes in student behaviour states and interactive abilities are reported. Participant reports about the impact of the program on their professional practices are included. Method: Six teachers and six teacher aides in special…

This article discusses a pilot project applying podcast technology to a management course. The project was designed, implemented, and evaluated in spring 2006 in conjunction with the Management and Supervisory Development program at Athens Technical College (Athens, Georgia). The project goals were to evaluate the pedagogical, logistical, and…

Collaboration among various professional groups to enhance student learning is a very useful strategy. This article describes how one state, Minnesota, over time (1960-1990), employed collaboration among schools, universities, professional organizations, and the State Department of Education to affect student counseling practices where needed.…