Recent evidence from the Treatment for Adolescents With Depression Study (TADS) suggests that combining cognitive behavioral and pharmacological treatments holds the most promise for ameliorating depression among adolescents. This article describes lessons learned during the TADS trial about how to integrate these two treatments in the care of…

Something new is on the horizon, and depending on one's role on campus, it might be storm clouds or a cleansing shower. Either way, no matter how hard one tries to avoid it, sooner rather than later he/she will have to deal with metrics. Metrics do not have to cause fear and resistance. Metrics can, and should, be a powerful tool for improvement.…

Although there are a million reasons why some schools do not work, there is one thing that Breakthrough High Schools (BTHS) have in common: a principal who has a focused vision that is based on the needs of his or her school and district and an ability to rally the troops and move the school away from the herd. The principal's ability to carefully…

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a positive behavior support (PBS) intervention in a rural elementary school. Through this use of clear, consistent behavioral expectations, grade-level assemblies, and complimentary reinforcement, there was a substantial improvement in hallway behavior, with an overall increase of 134.9% for compliance…

This article presents the results of a study conducted in Anchorage, Alaska, that evaluated the accuracy and efficiency of using voice recognition (VR) technology to collect oral reading fluency data for classroom-based assessments. The primary research question was as follows: Is voice recognition technology a valid and reliable alternative to…

This chapter provides a case study comparing the costs of online student ratings of instruction with those of traditional paper-pencil student ratings. The case study is derived from Brigham Young University's (BYU) experience in creating and implementing a new online student rating system. Some of the information on costs was supplemented by data…

Purpose: This study reviews staffing standards from the 50 states and the District of Columbia to determine if these standards are related to nursing home staffing levels. Design and Methods: Rules and regulations for states' nursing home staffing standards were obtained for the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Nurse staffing data were…

Techniques are discussed for using ultrasound for lingual imaging in field-related applications. The greatest challenges we have faced distinguishing the field setting from the laboratory setting are the lack of controlled head/transducer movement, and the related issue of tissue compression. Two experiments are reported. First, a pilot study…

In this article, the author relates how a math-assessment software has allowed his school to track the academic progress of its students. The author relates that in the first year that the software was deployed, schoolwide averages in terms of national standing on the math ITBS rose from the 42nd to 59th percentile. In addition, a significant…

College faculty face the ongoing dilemma of balancing the professional emphasis on student learning with the administrative task of documenting student performance related to reappointment, promotion, and tenure. As tools in the undergraduate and graduate programs of an institution of higher learning, concept maps provide faculty with interesting…

Faculty workload can be separated into two distinct areas: instructional workload (i.e. in-class workload) and out-of-classroom activities. This indicates that at the universities, the state college, and the community colleges the role of full-time faculty extends well beyond classroom instruction. To varying degrees, faculty workload is impacted…

Conducting market research for out-of-school-time planning can replace assumptions with facts, give kids and parents a voice to express their needs and preferences, and help build stakeholder buy-in and support. This practical guide shows community leaders, policymakers and out-of-school-time practitioners how to use market research to make more…

After-school programs are popular with parents and the community, but are a lot of extra work for headteachers and the staff involved. This book will provide headteachers and administrators with the guidance they need to build a successful and sustainable after-school program. Based on a national study conducted by the author, this hands-on…

The purpose of this technical report is to summarize the research methodology of the Novice Teacher Study (NTS) strand of the Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP) research. The Ohio TQP embarked on a series of research studies to learn more about the characteristics of effective teachers and to identify the patterns of teacher performance in both…

This document reports request for a total of $271,246,000 for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) for Fiscal Year 2008. Funds are designed to assist the Institute in expanding its leadership role in creating an informed and educated citizenry, and transmitting the values of American democracy. In recent years the Institute has…