This report presents findings from the survey, Nutrition Education in U.S. Public Schools, Elementary Teacher Survey, K-5, which followed a federal initiative to improve the quantity and quality of nutrition education in public elementary classrooms. Survey results indicated that 52 percent of elementary teachers had formal training to teach about…

A study examined the effectiveness of specific teaching strategies in the reading curriculum that would help underachieving first-grade students meet reading standards by the end of the school year. Subjects, 6 underachieving students, were given the Basic Phonics Skills Test (BPST), the Results high frequency word list, and the Results reading…

This manual, accompanied by a 22-minute videotape recording, provides information for constructing an Individualized Transition Plan as a component of Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings for secondary students with disabilities. The video, based on an actual IEP meeting with a student and his parents, illustrates a meeting that focuses…

This booklet provides parents of children with disabilities with information on procedural safeguards guaranteed in special education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 1997 (IDEA). Topics covered include: (1) required notice of procedural safeguards; (2) parent participation; (3) prior written notice; (4) parental consent; (5)…

This document presents North Dakota standards and guidelines for planning early childhood special education programs for children with disabilities. The first section offers program guidelines covering eligibility of students, approval of services, the service delivery system, transition, and size of enrollment/caseload. The next section discusses…

ParenTech is a technology information initiative designed to educate families about the impact technology has on the ways children learn, work, and live. Designed for parents of middle school students (grades 6-8), the ParenTech Resource Kit contains the following materials: (1) a poster that outlines suggested activities for promoting the value…

This book is designed to be used by school counselors to help them respond to sexual issues of adolescence. Chapter 1, "Sexual Stuff: What's a Counselor To Do?" introduces the topic of knowing the boundaries of school policy, parents, values and religion, and confidentiality. A series of case studies are presented and answers common concerns…

This paper outlines two approaches for improving outcomes for students at risk for academic failure. Both take a systemic approach to the problem by focusing on how specific circumstances create a reality of failure for many students. One school analyzed factors related to retention/promotion decisions and determined that four factors directly…

The case study of the relationship between classroom life and home for a minority child in an urban school illustrates the complex influences the home has on the child and the ways in which a culturally sensitive teacher can interact with parents in planning for the child's education. The teacher of a combined second-third grade at an urban school…

This final report discusses the activities and outcomes of a project that developed, field-tested, and disseminated eight 3-hour training modules to be used by preservice and inservice faculty in preparing early interventionists to work with young children with disabilities. The modules were designed to teach a special model of early intervention,…

A survey examined the perceived roles and competencies of school personnel and parents involved in the transition planning process for special education students, and compared these perceptions in rural and nonrural areas. The study took place in two parts: first, a field study validated the questions in the survey instrument; second, the survey…

This book discusses parent-school cooperation, suggesting that parent stories are an effective tool for accessing knowledge to benefit parent-teacher relationships. The book defines stories as narratives gained from open-ended conversations and/or interviews, where parents answer questions that illuminate traditional and nontraditional early…

This action research project evaluated the impact of strategies to increase parental involvement and improve student interest in academics and school-related activities. Participating were students in an eighth grade social studies class and third through seventh grade learning disabilities classes in a rural school setting. The need for increased…

This paper describes a program designed to increase student motivation to complete homework assignments. The targeted population consisted of 3rd, 4th, 9th, and 10th grade students attending schools in the Midwest. Analysis of probable cause data reveals that parental involvement can be insufficient and misdirected. Homework can lack relevance to…

This report describes a program encouraging students to choose reading as a recreational activity. The targeted population consisted of first, second, third, and fourth grade students in a growing middle class community, near a large Midwestern city. The problem of students choosing recreational activities other than reading was documented through…