This handbook provides step-by-step procedures through which a task force can examine a school's reading program and can define goals and objectives for the future. Charts are provided to aid in the following processes: gathering data about the population served; assessing the current reading program and assigning priorities for improvement;…

Although progress has been made in the past decade in dealing with social and economic problems, there are still problems that need to be addressed. These include the need to revitalize decayed urban areas, and to develop human resources in these areas. This paper suggests that a comprehensive community education approach may be part of the…

The author, Executive Director of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, examines the state of physical education in secondary school programs and presents twelve commonalities of quality physical education programs. Those common characteristics are identified as: (1) high student and staff morale; (2) frequent methods…

A sample of 4,502 airmen assigned to the security police career field were administered a test battery consisting of biographical, attitudinal, and interest measures. Using a criterion of in/out of service after a minimum period of one year on the job, regression analyses were accomplished to determine the effectiveness of the predictor…

Content summaries are presented for two national conferences (one in Washington, D.C., the other in San Francisco) designed to bring together prime sponsors, vocational educators, and representatives from industry to take a reading of how CETA (Comprehensive Employment and Training Act) programs were progressing and to explore ways of utilizing…

The Discrepancy Evaluation Model (DEM), developed in 1966 by Malcolm Provus, provides information for program assessment and program improvement. Under the DEM, evaluation is defined as the comparison of an actual performance to a desired standard. The DEM embodies five stages of evaluation based upon a program's natural development: program…

The booklet suggests approaches and methods to help the teacher or program leader maximize students' learning from their community involvement. The purpose is to provide practical suggestions for encouraging young people to reflect on their participation in the community programs. The suggestions will help secondary students think about their…

Levels of Use (LOU) interviews can be used for formative evaluation purposes in an intermediate education agency. Programs and services for training teachers provided to districts are evaluated. LOU interviews give program staff unique information for improving programs. Program improvement is aided by LOU interviews because information is…

This executive summary highlights key elements of a paper produced by the National Center for Research in Vocational Education for persons interested in maximizing benefits from research and development in vocational education. This summary describes the legislative background, conceptual model, essential framework, and operational guidelines for…

The Comprehensive Basic Skills Program Review was designed by the New Jersey State Department of Education to provide a diagnosis of problems contributing to inadequate achievement in the basic skills. Local program reviews followed the state developed process and were conducted by many schools. The process analyzed the existing school programs…

This paper discusses present child care provision for children of preschool age in the United States. After a brief historical preface that points out deficits and needed improvements in public school and infant programs, the discussion focuses on several aspects of established programs for 3- to 5-year-old children. In particular, research…

This paper outlines a school climate improvement project conducted by the Pennsylvania State Department of Education and based on an intervention model for changing school climate. The model reflects the views of school effectiveness according to several researchers and emphasizes: (1) an integrating, ongoing problem solving attitude within the…

This guide for administrators, based on the best practices found in 25 states, proposes a prototype system within which a more humane and sensitive delivery of services at the agency level can be efficiently achieved for children and their families. System goals for assisting clients are described, and the objectives which must be met to achieve…

A questionnaire was sent to 100 superintendents to find out how they viewed the preparation of the recent graduates of the University of Maine at Orono hired for teaching positions within their districts. The superintendents were asked to rate the graduates and to list the competencies that were strong points as well as weak points in their…

The Preprofessional Program's objectives for increasing minority student participation in the health sciences are outlined in this report. Steps taken by the program to meet each of the objectives are briefly described. Data collected during the last year of the program are presented for such areas as class composition, students' career interests,…