This paper reports on two comprehensive multi-institutional collaborative efforts for school improvement. The two studies demonstrate that collaborative efforts involving multiple agencies and multiple agendas can be successful even when separated by considerable geographical distance. The school systems were concerned with implementing a locally…

The purpose and direction of the quality improvement program of the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA) are described. The improvement program was designed to develop a systematic approach to identify, measure, and correct errors in the student aid delivery system. Information is provided on the general approach…

This is a report on the progress that has been made since HMIE published "Student Teacher Placements within Initial Teacher Education" in October 2005 in response to a request by the Minister for Education and Young People. The report was based on extensive fieldwork and consultation over session 2004/2005, activity which itself…

With the passage of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 (Post- 9/11 GI Bill), Congress created a comprehensive education benefit program for veterans, service members, and their dependents pursuing postsecondary education. Since implementation, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has provided just over $5.7 billion for…

This final report discusses the administration, staffing, planning, implementation and evaluation of the SPEAC (Student Parent Educator Administrator Children) for Nutrition Program. The principle objective of the program is to provide nutrition education and increased understanding of the role of the Child Care Food Program through increased…

Part I of this brief document outlines seven opportunities provided for Pittsburgh secondary teachers by the Schenley High School Teacher Center. These opportunities include observing exemplary instructional activities in a real setting, practicing new skills and techniques, receiving feedback on that practice, and translating theory into…

In 2005-6 a team from the NFER carried out an evaluation of the implementation of Renaissance Learning mathematics and reading programs in selected Specialist (secondary) and feeder (primary) schools in London. The research involved matching schools implementing the programs (14 "treatment" schools) with 7 similar schools where the…

In 2004-05, the School District of Philadelphia (SDP) began a groundbreaking partnership with the Eli Broad Foundation to develop the Academy for Leadership in Philadelphia Schools (ALPS), one of several Broad-funded, alternative principal development programs initiated across the country. The ALPS effort was designed to respond to two challenges:…

A technical note based on the Indonesian Nonformal Education Project discusses use of Q-sort, originally a research technique for studying small groups or individuals, as a needs assessment method. The background of Q-sort, designed to take subjective factors into account, is covered, and its use in needs assessment described: cards, each of which…

A unique training program in high tech obstetrical, neonatal, and pediatric nursing care areas was designed to be offered on site at Orlando (Florida) Regional Medical/Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Women. The training program offered 16 different courses to 355 employees over the 18-month period of the project. A needs assessment was…

Measurement in early childhood is an increasingly large-scale endeavor addressing purposes of accountability, program improvement, child outcomes, and intervention decision making for individual children. The Early Communication Indicator (ECI) is a measure relevant to intervention decision making for infants and toddlers, including response to…

This Annual Plan presents the major initiatives and priorities the U.S. Department of Education (Department) Office of Inspector General (OIG) intends to undertake to assist the Department in fulfilling its responsibilities to America's taxpayers and students. The Department continues to face a significant number of challenges in FY 2014 that…

This publication describes basic skills improvement programs and activities ongoing throughout the United States. The guide is organized into two sections. The first section contains program descriptions and hands-on materials from 25 elementary and secondary programs across the nation that have been selected for inclusion in the National…

To meet the need for improved science instruction in rural schools, a project to identify, honor, and provide training for outstanding rural science teachers in grades 6-9 was designed cooperatively by the National Science Foundation, Kansas State University, Kansas Cosmosphere and Discovery Center, and rural school districts. In order to create a…

In addition to an 11-page narrative, this final report contains materials from a model college/public service agency collaborative effort to develop an inservice, onsite, volunteer training program for Office of Environmental Affairs employees. These activities are described: task analysis to determine environmental/human service paraprofessional…