This study examined the effectiveness of teachers trained in a Professional Development School (PDS) versus a traditional program. The paper begins with data from earlier research which shows that PDSs prepare graduates better for teaching and managing classrooms than do traditional programs. This study used the North Carolina Teacher Performance…

This report describes the design, implementation, and impact of a book loan program in an inner-city preschool where books were freely and easily available to low-income primarily Spanish-speaking families, most of whom are recent immigrants. Data collected included check-out frequency, book titles, student participation, and field notes of the…

Data envelopment analysis, which is designed to assist in identifying best practice performance in the use of resources among a group of like organizations, was used to estimate the technical and scale efficiency of vocational education and training in 25 New Zealand polytechnics serving a total of 94,201 students. The polytechnics' efficiency was…

This document is the final report describing the experiences, effectiveness, and findings of a home ownership literacy program in El Paso, Texas. It is asserted that such a program was and is necessary because the adult education programs that presently exist typically are not sufficiently addressing the practical, real-life needs of the…

A literature review explored the differences between the high school diploma and GED (General Educational Development) credentials and the value of receiving one in comparison to the other. The study found that GED recipients and high school seniors who take the five tests constituting the GED score similarly, but that test achievement does not…

This comprehensive handbook focuses on literacy issues in grades 4-9. It is a reference guide that covers everything from the role of the principal and the characteristics of the learners to teaching the gifted and motivating the reluctant learner. Chapters offer an array of examples of student work, classroom vignettes, sample lessons, and…

In 1994, the Student Assessment was administered to over 12,000 vocational completers at 197 new High Schools that Work (HSTW) sites. Findings indicated that career-bound students at these sites trailed academic students nationwide in reading. Teachers in all vocational programs needed to pay more attention to reading. Career-bound females scored…

This paper discusses the finding of two studies that assessed the need for children' mental health services in the Mott Haven community of the South Bronx, and investigated the cultural, personal, and service utilization characteristics of Mott Haven children who are recipients of existing mental health services. Results from a one-week period in…

This research examined the developmental progression of child and youth care students in practicum placements and teaching strategies used by practicum supervisors according to their practicum students' developmental levels. Eight university practicum supervisors participated in a focus group regarding their perceptions of differences between…

Starting Early Starting Smart (SESS) provides an integrated system of child-centered, family-focused, and community-based services targeted to at-risk children from birth to age seven at twelve sites across the country. To access families that are often not in the mainstream of service access and use, SESS programs partner with primary care…

Teacher action research using both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection were used to examine impacts of using visual learning strategies on five preschool children (ages 3-5) with autism in a self-contained classroom. During the six weeks of the study, pictures representing nine learning areas and specific developmental…

Noting that federal, state, and local decisionmakers are asking critical questions regarding the nature of young children's education, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education (NAECS/SDE) have issued this official position…

Based on the view that programs with a strong academic component may reduce the substantial educational disparities for American students from disadvantaged backgrounds or in chronically underperforming schools and school districts, this synthesis of research on academic achievement programs describes how such programs may help children and…

Data from the National Survey of America's Families (NSAF) in 13 states for 1997 and 1999 was used to study how welfare reform policies, mandated by the 1996 passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, affected employment of single mothers with children. The states were Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida,…

This semiannual report to Congress by the Office of Inspector General (OIG), U.S. Department of Education, covers the actions of the OIG from October 1, 2002, through March 31, 2003. The report discusses four goals of the President's Management Agenda: (1) improved financial performance: includes information on financial statement audits,…