This is one in a series of policy briefs on key education issues prepared by the RAND Corporation for the Obama administration. Preschool education plays an important role in increasing school readiness and closing achievement gaps for children at risk. However, access to high-quality preschool programs varies greatly. Therefore, policymakers…

Over the last year, the Improving Teacher Quality (ITQ) program staff have been looking at the scope of professional development for K-12 teachers in California. Staff are assessing current models of professional development offered, how they are funded, and how widespread are the kinds of professional development that research finds best at…

States and localities issue debt to finance projects undertaken by government and, in some cases, by the private sector (bonds issued by states and localities to finance either government operations or certain private-sector activities are known as municipal bonds). The federal government subsidizes the issuance of municipal bonds by offering tax…

In cities and towns across America, millions of children and youth get out of school by mid-afternoon but have neither a safe, supervised place to go nor a structured or engaging activity in which to participate. Because the hours between 3:00 and 6:00 p.m. are when young people are most likely to be affected by crime or to engage in risky…

Obligations of state education agencies (SEAs) and Part C lead agencies set forth by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) pertaining to early childhood transition from Part C to Part B of IDEA are described in several regulatory and guidance documents including Part C draft regulations (34 CFR Part 303), Part B regulations (34…

In 2007, Nigeria passed an important milestone: one elected government passed power to another for the first time in the nation's history. Though imperfect, the poll demonstrated powerfully that Nigeria's representative democracy was not a transient phase between periods of military repression but a growing reality. For 20 years, the MacArthur…

Science and technology are embedded in every aspect of modern life. This report describes how Public Engagement with Science (PES), in the context of informal science education (ISE), can provide opportunities for public awareness of and participation in science and technology. PES refers to seeking public input into policy decisions about the…

A new report by the Centre for Civic Governance of the Columbia Institute sheds light on why districts are struggling to balance their budgets while the Minister of Education claims they received the "highest funding ever." The $122 million increase in the current 2008-09 operating grant fell $15 million short of the $137 million…

Protecting and improving education should be a top priority for the BC government. Unfortunately, much of this last decade has seen conditions in BC schools worsen, rather than improve. Recent government decisions have just added to existing shortfalls in funding for schools. Unless the BC government reverses direction, projections are for…

This article features ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) co-ordinator Lynn Evans, recipient of the Learning and Skills Improvement Service STAR Award. Lynn's teaching is all about breaking down barriers, whether that means the personal barriers that prevent learners from achieving their potential or the barriers that exist among…

Using data on service-learning partnerships from 255 universities receiving Learn and Serve America Grants in 2005, we ask (1) how different strategies used to institutionalize service-learning shape the perceived impact of the partnership on community groups, (2) how the level of service-learning program formality affects the perceived impact of…

Little is known about the effect of incongruity between perception of, or belief in, the availability of support and actual receipt of support during a time of need. This article examines associations between belief in the future availability of instrumental support (e.g., child care, temporary housing, and financial assistance), subsequent…

Collegiate athletic programs have often been referred to as the "front porch" of an institution. Coaches, athletic teams, student athletes, and athletic department staff serve as a "link between the immediate campus family and the larger community. It is this front-porch principle that makes managing intercollegiate athletics a unique and…

This article examines the current state of gender equity in athletic programs offered at two-year institutions. Two overarching questions have guided the research done for this article: (1) How successful have two-year institutions been in responding to the mandate of Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1964? and (2) How will the…

Just as in 1982, when the myth of waiting for Santa Claus was first addressed in "Gifted Child Quarterly," many districts all over the country are still waiting for Santa Claus to arrive with a sleigh full of presents. Unfortunately, Santa and his presents in the form of mandates to identify and serve, funding, teachers licensed in…