The ability to think critically is essential if individuals are to live, work, and function effectively in our current and changing society. The activities included in this publication were selected to identify a variety of effective strategies for teaching critical thinking skills through environmental education. Activities include library…

Magnet school programs require careful planning. Originally designed to achieve voluntary desegregation, magnet programs attract students of all races and backgrounds by offering special curricular themes and instructional approaches not offered in neighborhood schools. Outcomes of a successful program include the following: (1) desegregation; (2)…

This training manual, the second of two volumes, comprises the final three blocks in a nine-block in-service training course for apprentices working in heavy duty mechanics. Addressed in the individual blocks included in this volume are engines, basic electricity, and winches. Each block contains a section on parts theory that gives the purpose,…

During 1985-86 the School Community Education Program (also known as the Umbrella Program), funded by the New York State Legislature, provided a variety of educational and training experiences to some 25,871 participants, including pre-kindergarten children and their parents; and students, teachers and supervisors from kindergarten through grade…

In many places across the country, public school students no longer automatically attend their neighborhood school. Instead, parents may decide that their child's needs are better met elsewhere, for example, at a small alternative school, an arts magnet school, a charter technology high school, or a media academy operating within a larger school.…

Formatted in a question-and-answer style, this book is intended to provide a survey and overview of the federal law governing the placement of students with disabilities. It explores the procedural and substantive requirements of the placement process and addresses the most common concerns that arise in this area of special education law. The…

Summarizes a study evaluating California's first digital magnet school, designed to emulate a Silicon-Valley high-tech start-up company. A survey of 159 junior and seniors revealed positive perceptions of the school's program and business atmosphere and very high expectations for achieving college and career success. (Contains 44 references.) (MLH)

This paper provides a very brief summary of the first three years of study of the court-ordered desegregation effort in St. Louis (Missouri). It examines differences in the reading and mathematics scores from the Stanford Achievement Test along with a performance-based writing assessment for four groups of African-American students. These groups…

This report provides an end-of-year summative evaluation of the STEPS (Striving Toward Excellence in the Performance of Students) program, which was first implemented in elementary schools in 1983-84. The program, which is based on research on effective schools, focuses on school improvement efforts in six areas: (1) aligning instruction with…

The first implementation year is reported of a Classical Greek magnet program at Leroy "Satchel" Paige Classical Greek Academy (PCGA), an elementary school in Kansas City, Missouri. This formative evaluation covers five areas: student demographics, program implementation, perceptions of and attitudes toward the program, achievement…

This guide is intended to help teachers give preparatory instruction in the development of basic manipulative skills, safety practices, technical knowledge, and related industrial information in order to prepare students for useful employment in the field of electronics. This first-year guide contains 6 units organized in 21 lesson plans. Each…

Desegregation efforts made by the Boston Public School District between December, 1984, and May, 1985, are described and assessed in this executive summary of a monitoring report prepared for the U.S. District Court. Following a brief overview, separate sections deal with the following seven monitoring areas: student assignments, special…

Desegregation efforts made by the Boston Public School District between December 1, 1984, and May, 1985, are discussed and evaluated in this collection of reports prepared for the U.S. District Court. Seven monitoring areas are dealt with. These are student assignments and special desegregation measures, vocational and occupational education,…

This essay reviews research pertaining to the relative merits and drawbacks of expanding family choice in public education. A primary objective is to identify and explore tensions among competing objectives in the design of expanded choice systems. After an introductory section on goals and definitions, the second section explores how more family…

There is no inherent conflict between bilingual education and desegregation; only lack of creativity and lack of commitment deter implementation of bilingual programs in racially balanced schools. A review of literature related to the Brown v. Board of Education and Lau v. Nichols decisions revealed that bilingual education and school…