Highlights program strategies to support families as they adjust to changes in welfare policy. Core strategies noted include using early childhood programs as a resource, adapting early childhood programs to better meet family needs, promoting access to high-quality child care, linking early childhood programs and welfare agencies, and creating…

Texas began alternative teacher certification in 1985, attracting diverse populations into teaching. Although criterion-referenced tests demonstrate program success, there should be additional ways to determine whether individuals are qualified to practice the art of teaching. (SK)

Describes a program used by two New Jersey educators to help teachers understand and use their state's standards and test specifications to improve classroom instruction and raise achievement. Suggests it is important for teachers to understand the entirety of each subject and where state test content fits within each area so that they can align…

This article describes the experiences of the program coordinator of a new two-year preservation trades program at Harford Community College in Bel Air, Maryland. The two-year associate in applied sciences degree offered at Harford Community College (HCC) is a Technical Professional Studies program in Building Preservation and Restoration (BPR).…

This chapter describes how the implementation of the 1996 welfare reform and the 1998 Workforce Investment Acts affected community colleges' willingness and capacity to provide access to postsecondary education and training for Latinos and other low-income populations. (Contains 3 figures.)

Implementing generationally appropriate activities for persons with dementia is a challenging task. Horticulture therapy (HT) addresses this challenge through the use of plants to facilitate holistic outcomes. Utilizing the model of environmental press, the current study sought to analyse adult day service (ADS) participants' responses to HT as…

Reanalyzed data evaluated by A. Amrein and D. Berliner, using a comparison group of states that did not attach consequences to their statewide tests. States that did attach consequences outperformed states that did not, showing meaningful carryover from attaching consequences to statewide testing. (SLD)

Reanalysis of data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress continues to support the position that high-stakes tests do not do much to improve academic achievement. Data indicate that the extent to which states with high-stakes tests outperform those without remains indeterminable. (SLD)

The Alaska Human Resources Investment Council developed a blueprint to guide a system that is needs-driven, accessible, interconnected, accountable, sustainable, and has collaborative governance. Vocational Technical Education Providers (VTEP) representing secondary education, technical schools, proprietary institutions, the University of Alaska,…

Federal regulations (U.S. Department of Education, 2007a) provide states with the flexibility to offer an alternate assessment based on modified academic achievement standards (AA-MAS). This assessment option is for a small group of students with disabilities who can make significant progress, but may not reach grade-level achievement within the…

Babies need good health, strong families, and positive early learning experiences to promote their healthy intellectual, social, and emotional development. However, as the poverty rate for children under age 3 continues to increase, a rising number of young children are going without these supports. The federal Early Head Start program (EHS) was…

"Kids Count in Colorado!" is an annual publication of the Colorado Children's Campaign, which provides the best available state- and county-level data to measure and track the education, health and general well-being of the state's children. "Kids Count in Colorado!" informs policy debates and community discussions, serving as…

The "Colorado Children's Budget" presents and analyzes investments and spending trends during the past five state fiscal years on services that benefit children. The "Children's Budget" focuses mainly on state investment and spending, with some analysis of federal investments and spending to provide broader context of state…

In a time of evolving Algebraic standards and expectations for Minnesota teachers and students, the establishment of quality professional development and technical assistance can help educators move more confidently toward greater mathematics understanding and, subsequently, successful teaching and learning. To this end, the Minnesota Department…

The "Local Technology Plan Guidelines" serve as the basis for the Department's annual technology data collection. This report takes a look at the data submitted by 344 school districts, examining the progress Massachusetts school districts are making in meeting the recommended guidelines. In doing so, it will gauge the degree to which…