Parent involvement in New Mexico, and around the nation, is an essential element in the success of students and their schools. This simple point anchors the federal law known as the "No Child Left Behind Act of 2001" ("NCLB"). NCLB establishes state, district and school requirements designed to promote more effective parent…

In the fall of 2007, Education Resource Strategies (ERS) was invited by Philadelphia's School Reform Commission to conduct a Strategic Professional Development Review for the School District of Philadelphia (SDP). ERS is a nonprofit organization that is nationally recognized for its extensive work in partnering with urban school districts to make…

Educators Linda Darling-Hammond and Diane Friedlaender share findings from their recent report highlighting five California high schools that have beaten the odds in supporting the success of low-income students of color. Animo Inglewood Charter High School, Stanley E. Foster Construction Tech Academy, June Jordan School for Equity, Leadership…

The "Elementary and Secondary Education Act" ("ESEA"), as reauthorized by the "No Child Left Behind Act of 2001," provides benefits to private school students, teachers and other education personnel, including those in religiously affiliated schools. These services are considered assistance to students and teachers…

The South Carolina Higher Education Statistical Abstract is a comprehensive, single-source compilation of tables and graphs which report data frequently requested by members of the coordinating board, staffs of colleges and universities, the legislature, state government officials and the general public. The Abstract includes glossary, figures and…

Mayors and other municipal leaders in cities across the nation are helping expand alternatives for students who struggle in traditional high school settings. Alternatives for high school are new alternative secondary school initiatives that prepare young people to graduate from high school and achieve college and career success through programs…

By the time they enter kindergarten, many low-income children are already behind their peers from more advantaged backgrounds. During early childhood, low-income children face a number of risk factors that threaten healthy development and learning, including low birth weight, stunted growth, obesity, and lead poisoning--all of which are associated…

The prevailing view among leaders in the university community is that America is not investing enough in higher education. A recent survey of the American economy by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) echoed that concern. After all, college graduates are dramatically more productive than those without higher education…

This article details the challenges that UC Merced faced in building up the critical areas of student and residence life. The new institution held great promise for achieving the ideal of a student-centered university, but certain bedrock problems proved difficult to overcome. One was that at the beginning, both administration and faculty saw…

Fiscal Profiles, 2006 is the fourteenth in a series of periodic reports by the California Postsecondary Education Commission of statistical information on the financing of the State's public higher education institutions. It also includes selected financial and enrollment information on public elementary and secondary education and on California's…

One of the most pressing questions in American higher education today is how to make high-quality education available to all who seek it. At the heart of discussions of access and quality are matters of cost and price. How much will it cost an institution to make high-quality education available, and what will be the price for those who want that…

This annual report highlights information on school performance and improvement in Hawaii's public schools. The report profiles noteworthy academic events, trends, and outcomes at two organizational levels: state and complex. Featured are tables, figures, and narrative sections related to demographic, financial, and educational performance. …

Reflecting the need for updated, comprehensive and accurate information, the Special Education Expenditure Project was included in a series of studies mandated by Congress in 1997 to measure and evaluate the impact of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). SEEP was the first comprehensive, nationally representative study…

Don Shalvey (former superintendent of the San Carlos, California school district) believes strongly that every kid in California deserves a great education. This belief led him in 1993 to found the first charter school (an independently-run public school) in California. Shalvey's first charter school attracted a great deal of attention, and soon…

Arkansas has made important commitments to enhance the quality of and access to early education opportunities for young children, particularly those from disadvantaged families. These commitments are valuable, but they do not yet ensure that all children have access to pre-k programs. At issue is whether it makes economic sense to expand…