This directory lists 151 programs in alternative farming systems (systems that aim at maintaining agricultural productivity and profitability, while protecting natural resources, especially sustainable, low-input, regenerative, biodynamic or organic farming and gardening). It includes programs conducted by colleges and universities, research…

Outcomes of the School-Based Instructional Leadership (SBIL) program are described in this paper. The goal of the program is to empower school leadership teams (which include administrators, teachers, and representatives of stakeholder groups) for new roles and relationships as they implement a school-development process within their own contexts.…

Findings of a study that investigated the impact of a 4-day school week in an Idaho suburban school district (Shelley School District) are presented in this paper. Data were derived from: (1) surveys of all district stakeholders, which included 2,039 K-12 students, 492 parents, 103 teachers, and 85 support staff; (2) a comparison of…

This paper describes the processes and outcomes experienced by the Marshalltown Community School District (Iowa) as it implemented a shared decision-making, school-improvement program. A district Shared Decision Making (SDM) Team and School Improvement Program (SIP) teams were trained to facilitate greater staff participation in the…

A study, considering the needs of both classroom teachers and university-based instructors, examined how teachers delineated thematic instruction and translated that conception into practice. A total of 20 teachers, representing 17 classrooms, were observed as they implemented thematic instruction. Team-teaching was observed in two classrooms with…

Used to guide instructional design and professional development, this booklet highlights current thinking and practice in those areas of California's English-Language Arts Framework that need additional clarification or may have been implemented unevenly. Issues addressed in the booklet are: (1) the place of skills instruction, especially phonics,…

The various ways that standards and standards-based education are being addressed around the United States are described. The education community can trace the start of the modern standards movement to the publication of "A Nation at Risk" in 1983 (National Commission on Excellence). The first education summit in 1987 then became a…

This paper develops a new conception of organizational knowledge management as "knowledge ecology." The Socrates electronic learning environment is described as an example of a knowledge ecosystem for education and training. The Socrates program was developed as a knowledge management system, viewing classrooms as organizations for…

Using Guilford County (North Carolina) School District's implementation of North Carolina ABCs legislation as a backdrop, this paper discusses the unintended consequences that school-improvement plans create for administration. The ABCs legislation ties a large-scale testing program to a requirement that each school develop a community-supported…

This paper discusses the results of a survey that investigated how 69 school districts associated with the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented were implementing cluster grouping to meet the intellectual, social, and emotional needs of gifted students. Results from the survey indicate: (1) the majority of school districts did not…

In order to provide specific planning assistance, this paper describes three major components of a learning resources program: (1) the library or traditional print materials component; (2) the learning center component, which is an innovative learning environment offering individualized and conventional classroom instruction and/or non-traditional…

"Talking about Touching" for preschool and kindergarten is a curriculum that focuses on teaching children basic skills that will help them keep safe from dangerous or abusive situations. The content and method of instruction in the curriculum were developed using current research on child abuse prevention and social learning theory.…

This publication provides guidelines designed to assist Maryland library media administrators and specialists in planning, developing, and implementing kindergarten through twelfth grade library media programs. It provides a broad outline from which local systems may construct library media programs integrated with other curricular units. The…

This research study sought: (1) to examine the range of vocational education opportunities available to young mothers enrolled in teen parent programs; (2) to explore the degree of access to these opportunities; (3) to examine vocational education use; and (4) to assess the likely impact of the Family Support Act on teen parents and on the…

Information on school/community partnerships in Virginia is provided in this resource guide, which is divided into five sections. The first section, "Building Community/Classroom Partnerships Through Coalitions," by Jane Asche, discusses recent findings that point to the need for coalitions to improve public education. Successful…