A study focused on results from seven of the earliest state welfare reform initiatives with some form of welfare time limit. Four programs--Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, and Wisconsin--- included benefit-termination time limits triggering cancellation of a family's entire welfare grant. Arizona and Indiana imposed benefit-reduction time limits,…

This report presents findings of a survey study examining the efforts of southern states and the District of Columbia to implement the goals and action steps of the Action Plan to Improve Access to Child Care Assistance for Low-Income Families in the South. Surveys were sent to the members of the Southern Regional Task Force on Child Care,…

Launched in 1994, Smart Start is the statewide early childhood initiative in North Carolina designed to ensure that every child "arrives at school healthy and ready to succeed." This guide provides a practical reference to the lessons learned from Smart Start as the program was developed and experienced from the local county partnership…

The first of a 3-volume series describing the 17 Early Head Start (EHS) programs in fall 1997, this report discusses the main features of the research programs and identifies the key challenges and successes they experienced during their first year of serving families. Chapter 1 of the report discusses the historical and national context of the…

Three main questions guided this study: (1) What are the possible implications, positive and negative, from implementing an Ed.D. program at Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU)?; (2) What were the conditions for teaching at other universities when an Ed.D. program was adopted?; and (3) What have been the long-term effects--positive,…

A survey of school districts was conducted to determine the initial progress and problems associated with the 1997 Class Size Reduction (CSR) Initiative. Data reveal that most school districts had enough space for smaller classes for at least two grade levels; small school districts were much less likely to report space constraints. The CSR did…

A two-year evaluative study of a Child Parent Center Compensatory Education Program examined specific program characteristics and parent involvement as they affected achievement, locus of control, and home environment. Based on this quasi-experimental study, the program increased achievement, promoted greater feelings of control, and stimulated…

Describes an evaluation of performance-based teacher education (PBTE) programs conducted in three Australian states for technical and further education teachers during 1979. The objectives of the research included effectiveness of the PBTE approach, reactions of participants in the programs, and institutional considerations in its operation.…

As part of an ongoing faculty development program at the University of Minnesota Medical School, a program was developed to improve the teaching skills of clinical instructors. The background, program components, implementation, participant evaluation, and consultant evaluations of the program are discussed. (MLW)

This article argues that the popular, but at times, misapplied approaches of person-centered planning can be remedied through scientific practices. It discusses how planners can more effectively achieve today's aspirations for people with developmental disabilities by systematically assessing adherence to the process of person-centered planning…

This article comments on an article (Holburn, 2002), that argues misapplied approaches of personal-centered planning (PCP) can be remedied through scientific practices. It discusses the charge of frequent misapplication of PCP and its widespread adoption and use contrasted to methodological alternatives for evaluating the contribution of PCP. (CR)

This article responds to critiques of a previous article that called for using applied behavior analysis to scientifically evaluate personal-centered planning (PCP). It discusses the need to overcome evaluation obstacles such as inferring internal causation as explanatory, confusing process with outcome, and requiring full consensus on…

Describes the implementation of an international joint course developed by Queen Margaret College in Scotland and the Royal School of Librarianship in Denmark introducing undergraduate students to tools and issues relevant to teleworking, or working at home. Discusses course objectives, class assignments, student assessment, and program…

Describes the development of a Comenius project involving four European countries, which focused on school self-evaluation. The project resulted in an international course held in Italy. The paper describes the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the course, noting problems and solutions, strengths and limitations, recommendations for…

Although the Perkins Act was intended to expand access to vocational education for at risk populations and improve program quality, the regulatory and implementation process has done little to translate these goals into effective programs and services. This testimony presents findings and recommendations for reforming high school and postsecondary…