Inservice clinics for administrators and teachers were sponsored annually for three years by the Arizona State Department of Education, Division of Career and Vocational Education. As an aid in planning future clinics, a needs assessment was conducted of former participants. The procedures and results of the survey are presented in the report. The…

Determination of problems and needs in Adult Basic Education programs, as perceived by teachers, and provision of a model for examining ABE needs on a statewide or regional level were the major goals of the study. Information was gathered from teachers by questionnaire; comparable data on programs in other States was obtained from a national…

This summary report assesses the design implementation and classroom instruction of the Alberta, Canada, social studies curriculum. The purpose of the study was to present a synthesis of findings from five investigative activities undertaken by a research association in Alberta: (1) review of the background of the program, (2) critiques of the…

Four studies compiled in this document cover career awareness, academic achievement, career decision-making, and other ways of assessing effectiveness. Each area is developed through (1) literature reviews, (2) input gathered from state coordinators of career education and from local practitioners, and (3) reported data which represents…

Description, data, and conclusions are presented for a 3-year career education project in the Great Falls Public Schools (Montana) which focused on the systematic development of components which would be transportable and operationally effective. Major developmental emphases of the project are noted and include staff training, curriculum revision…

One of 15 core modules in a 22-module series designed to train vocational education curriculum specialists (VECS), this guide is intended for use by both instructor and student in a variety of education environments, including independent study, team teaching, seminars, and workshops, as well as in more conventional classroom settings. The guide…

Discusses 10 areas associated with the social context and operations of secondary education, as well as issues and responses being addressed by educational systems across the world. Common patterns are identified and provide a framework for a discussion of changes in international secondary education. (CLB)

The "No Child Left Behind Act" of 2001 crystallized the concern for accountability in education. National testing was mandated as a way to improve the "broken" educational system. Publicly funded early education programs were not spared from such testing. While the positive effects of high-quality early education on children's…

What percent of Americans have been exposed to arts education? Has it changed over time? How do demographic characteristics correlate with arts education? What is the state of arts education in U.S. schools? These research questions are the focus of this report, which is presented in two parts. Using data from the Surveys of Public Participation…

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act ("welfare reform") and the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) have influenced greatly the provision of services in adult basic education (ABE). WIA and welfare reform provide two excellent cases for the study of questions related to how federal legislation affects ABE…

To ensure that school districts and schools meet acceptable performance levels, many school districts and states have enacted various accountability policies. Two of the most controversial approaches to accountability are reconstitutions of schools and state takeovers of school districts and schools. For each approach, this policy brief presents…

In January 1998-March 2000, a new statistical assessment and referral system to improve the job retention of welfare recipients participating in welfare-to-work programs was piloted in the welfare-to-work program serving two counties in southwestern Michigan. The assessment and referral system is based on statistical methods and uses…

This issue focuses on how special education fits into standards-based reform and contains the following featured articles: (1) A New Vision for Special Education Accountability (Martha L. Thurlow and Jane L. Krentz) charts the change in special education accountability as it moves from the old focus on Individualized Education Program teams; (2)…

C. June Maker, Professor at the University of Arizona, has developed a unique performance-based assessment in which children are observed by teams of teachers, counselors, paraprofessionals, administrators, specialists in education of the gifted and bilingual education, and local community members. The assessment, designed initially to …

The size and adequacy of the federal workforce for carrying out scientific, technical, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) activities are ongoing concerns in many policy circles. Experts both inside and outside of government have voiced fears that this workforce is aging and may soon face a dwindling labor pool, a problem that could be compounded…