Reviews programs in the state of Maine that are designed to inventory the natural heritage of critical areas, rare species, and exemplary natural features. Discusses how the information acquired by these programs is being used for public information efforts and educational programs in the schools. (ML)

Identifies ways of using state intellectual freedom resources to support colleagues experiencing censorship attempts in public schools; shares mechanisms for collecting data on censorship attempts; shares highlights and implications of Wisconsin survey results and materials of interest; and recommends ideas which can be put into practice at…

Describes a training program conducted in Arizona from 1979 to 1983 that measurably increased the number of female principals in Arizona and markedly improved attitudes toward women as school administrators. Covers the program's antecedents, outcomes, participant recruitment and selection process, use of consultants, and workshop agendas. (PGD)

Beginning in 1998, a state program called Reaching for Results began focusing on raising achievement for all Louisiana students. This program includes two different approaches: (1) teaching strategies that support students in meeting educational outcomes that will prepare them for life after school; and (2) assessments that evaluate student…

Two provisions in Title I--maintenance of effort (MOE) and supplement not supplant (SNS)--are designed to limit the extent to which federal funds can be used to replace state and local resources. To assess the quality of oversight of these provisions, the General Accounting Office (GAO) determined how Arizona, California, Florida, Indiana,…

As part of a system of early childhood career advancement in Florida, this document describes the early childhood education profession and presents--in both a written format and a CD-ROM--steps and guidelines for preparing a voluntary professional portfolio. The portfolio is highlighted as an opportunity to document one's educational and…

Do teachers' salaries reflect their ability to teach effectively? This is an important question given that teacher salaries account for approximately 37 percent of total education expenditures across the United States. Furthermore, the objectives of the "No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)" for increased student achievement and the presence…

This report examines how state policymakers designed their accountability systems to meet the NCLB Title I requirements and the implications of its provisions for schools with large numbers of low-income and minority students. The authors conducted their study in six states--Arizona, California, Illinois, New York, Virginia, and Georgia--which are…

This report outlines the major themes of the 1999 annual conference of the Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST), which focused on creating benchmarks for accountability in education. Opening the conference, a panel of experts focused on recent work regarding standards, quality, and fairness in the assessment…

Summative evaluation of student achievement in reading emphasizes determining learner progress at the end of a unit of study, end of course, or end of the school year. Generally, state mandated tests stress an end of the school year percentile which is to indicate the present state of learner achievement. This paper discusses and analyzes…

This booklet describes the Post-Secondary Child Care Grant Program in Minnesota and provides suggestions in evaluating child care options. The Minnesota Higher Education Services Office administers the program. It allocates funds to eligible colleges, which then select and make awards to students. A resident of Minnesota with a child of 12 years…

This report is a compilation of educational policy items from all 50 states, where applicable. The report is organized into 25 sections: Accountability (K-12); Assessment; At Risk; Attendance; Bilingual/ESL; Character/Citizenship Education; Charter Schools; Choice; Dual/Concurrent Enrollment; Early Childhood; Finance; Financial Aid; Governance…

This report provides a comprehensive account of the performance of students with disabilities on state assessment measures. Following an overview of the issues, it explains the laws that govern the reporting of assessment results (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997 (IDEA) and Title I of the Elementary and Secondary…

This document presents a profile of the development of Alaska kindergarten and first grade students in fall 2001. Alaska teachers completed reports for 13,688 kindergarten and first grade students at that time. Most were found to exhibit important behaviors associated with school successes on the Alaska Developmental Profile Recording Form.…