High-quality state assessment systems are the cornerstone of No Child Left Behind (NCLB), making it possible for school systems to collect data on student achievement to diagnose where students are doing well and where they are doing poorly. This provides information that teachers, administrators, and policymakers can use to customize and improve…

A national study examined the system of performance measures and standards that had been approved in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands in response to the 1990 Perkins Act. Descriptive survey and content analysis research methods were used to develop summary sheets categorizing the types of…

A study team researched impediments to the use of modern skill training methods in construction that have been caused by the U.S. Department of Labor. The problem that the study sought to define was whether the Labor Department impedes use of training innovations through the combined effect of the regulations promulgated by its Bureau of…

This document reports on three focus groups comprised of state officials, local practitioners and supporters, and researchers who were convened to provide input on strategies for assessing and validating the effects of tech prep. Part I provides a brief summary of the groups' discussions, including major points and broad themes in these four topic…

Responsiveness-to-intervention (RTI) is the front-running candidate to replace current practice in diagnosing learning disabilities, but researchers have identified several questions about implementation. Specific questions include: Are there validated intervention models? Are there adequately trained personnel? What leadership is needed? When…