The vision for the nation's schools is to ensure high standards of performance for every child and prepare each child to succeed as a productive member of a democratic society. Educators throughout the country are striving to achieve this national priority. Yet, how can every child succeed when so many reach the schoolhouse door with physical and…

This document summarizes the state of education in Maryland in 2003 following adoption of the Achievement Matters Most school reform plan. Advances in attendance, graduation and academic achievement are summarized. Continuing commitment to student health and safety, and the ongoing challenges of teacher preparation, recruitment and retention are…

A federally funded research and development center focused solely on adult learning, the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL) is a partnership of the Harvard University Graduate School of Education, World Education, Rutgers University, Portland State University in Oregon, and the Center for Literacy Studies at the…

When educators, parents, and diverse groups in your community have different views of what makes a quality school, here's a book that will help you overcome these differences and form partnerships for ensuring all students succeed. Based on a proven process used by school districts for more than 25 years, this leadership guide introduces you to:…

This paper is intended to promote discussion among professionals, policymakers, employers, parents, and individuals with disabilities concerning current and future challenges facing secondary education and transition services nationally. The issues identified and discussed should not, however, be viewed as inclusive of the full range of possible…

The profiles provided in this booklet highlight how schools of education are collaborating with communities to improve schools, prepare high-quality teachers, and provide professional development so that all teachers can succeed--toward the ultimate purpose, that all children will succeed. Increasingly, the complex problems facing PK-12 education…

Environmental factors currently affecting today's community colleges either will cause irreparable damage to their fiscal health and organizational structure or contribute to their rebirth--transforming systems and processes to meet current and future challenges successfully. Community colleges are facing challenges on many levels: (1) In 2003,…

The mission of the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB), as the state coordinating board for community colleges, is to administer the Public Community College Act in a manner that maximizes the ability of the community colleges to serve their communities, promotes cooperation within the system, and accommodates those State of Illinois…

One of the most critical issues affecting higher education access today is the rising cost of going to college. Symptoms of the trend include dramatic increases in tuition and fees, reduced state higher education budgets, declines in the purchasing power of student grant aid, increasing student debt burdens and heightened demand for institutional…

This is the last in a series of four policy briefs to be published by The Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement in 2005. The briefs are intended to provide fresh insights and useful advice to policymakers and school assistance providers. The first part of this policy brief breaks down the process of sustaining improvement and…

This paper challenges the traditional teacher autonomy model, which assumes that classroom teachers are isolated practitioners charged with teaching classrooms of students independently for most of the school day. It asserts that the realities of modern schools have changed, and teachers are often not as isolated as they once were. Salisbury…

America's continuing efforts to improve education and develop a world-class workforce will be hampered without a federal and state commitment to early childhood education (ECE) for 3- and 4-year-olds. The Business Roundtable and Corporate Voices for Working Families believe federal and state efforts to develop such early childhood systems must be…

In recognition that character and knowledge are critical to shaping the whole child, the state of Wisconsin has made a commitment to developing partnerships to ensure that home and school build upon their mutual efforts with children and youth. This guide offers practical, useful strategies, tools, and examples of "what works" for…

This paper briefly describes two projects--one in the United States, one in England--that studied professional learning communities (PLCs). Part I of the paper describes the two projects. The American project is called the Creating Communities of Continuous Inquiry and Improvement project. The purpose of this study was to document and examine…

The purpose of this research was threefold. The first purpose was to conduct a needs assessment for a local school district to obtain additional funding for the nutrition and healthy eating habits unit of the 9th grade Wellness curriculum. The Wellness program consisted of one semester of physical education and one semester of classroom…