Presents case studies of four exemplary schools as they worked to meet the demands of the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) and the assessment system, the Kentucky Instructional Results Information System. Finds that the ways schools met the challenges were unique to each site, but outlines aspect common to teachers in all four sites. (SLD)

Addresses the impact of technology-driven change, especially as it relates to South Dakota, its citizens, and their future. Discusses the impact and peripheral consequences of technology; accepting, managing, and leading change; and rural revitalization and the quality of life. Outlines critical new mindsets, involving technology-driven change,…

Explores why California's ambitious new aid program, Cal Grants, misses its goals and shortchanges older students; millions in grants go unused while students complain of having eligibility taken away. (EV)

Explores the following aspects of state prekindergarten initiatives: (1) states take varied approaches to prekindergarten initiatives; (2) state policy decisions impact availability of programs; (3) many factors influence program quality; (4) barriers make programs inaccessible to some families; (5) collaboration efforts promote coordination at…

To develop a statewide evaluation tool for parenting education programs, domains of successful parenting were identified using a nominal group process involving county extension faculty. Indicators for five domains were developed and pilot tested with nearly 400 parents. The resulting instrument was easy to use and produced reliable results that…

Analyzed a 4-year data set from the Washington Assessment of Student Learning, the state's required high school test, using effect size as the measure of Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). Findings show that meeting AYP will be a problem of defining the standard as yearly score fluctuations occur. (SLD)

Expansion of newborn screening (NBS) has been driven primarily by a combination of advances in technology and medical treatment, and the sustained advocacy efforts of consumers and voluntary health organizations. The longstanding leadership of the March of Dimes has been credited by many as a critical factor in the expansion and improvement of…

This article presents a conceptual framework that was developed to guide a national evaluation of the American Legacy Foundation's (Legacy) Statewide Youth Movement Against Tobacco Use (SYMATU) program. This program was designed to develop youth-led, youth-directed initiatives within local communities. Two evaluation studies were designed and…

This report for the College Opportunity Fund (COF) covers the first two fiscal years of the COF program, FY05-06, FY06-07. It describes the implementation efforts of COF program stakeholders, the statistics of participation in the program, and concerns of the program. COF enables qualifying resident students to use higher education tuition…

Teacher shortages have been steadily increasing across the nation, particularly in the field of special education. According to analyses conducted by the Center on Personnel Studies in Special Education (COPSSE), reasons for this include the fact that veteran special education teachers are retiring at a faster rate than new teachers are being…

We evaluate the effects of state policy design features on SCHIP take-up rates and on the degree to which SCHIP benefits crowd out private benefits. The results indicate overall program take-up rates of approximately 10 percent. However, there is considerable heterogeneity across states, suggesting a potential role of inter-state variation in…

This article provides a synopsis of how articulation agreements serve postsecondary education institutions and their constituents, provides an overview on the types of agreements, and discusses some of the issues associated with development of these agreements. The following questions frame the narrative: As community colleges grew in number and…

In 1996, the US Congress passed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, changing the culture of welfare from a system of dependency to one of personal responsibility and economic self-sufficiency through workplace participation. Through the expert views of case managers and area employers of Wisconsin, this research…

E-portfolios are a rich, flexible tool for teaching, learning, and assessment. They provide institutions with a way to assess how well they are educating their students. However, it is important for institutions to know why e-portfolios are important learning and assessment tool for institutions both now and for the future. Higher education…

The U. S. is losing its competitive edge in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Thomas Friedman warns that America is not producing enough young people in STEM fields that are essential for entrepreneurship and innovation in the 21st century (The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century, 2005). Blue ribbon…