The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), a nationwide nonprofit organization of public officials who head state departments of elementary and secondary education, provides leadership on major education initiatives. In 1999, CCSSO embarked on the initiative "Students Continually Learning," which focused on three issues: early…

Five out of every 100 children develop serious emotional disturbances. Another 20 to 25 out of every 100 develop less severe emotional problems that can be resolved with proper care. It is this group for whom appropriate intervention can make a difference. This booklet describes the Great Smoky Mountains Study, a longitudinal, population-based…

This monograph summarizes discussions focusing on postsecondary diversity at two regional meetings attended by senior representatives of 22 state higher education agencies. The meetings addressed the effects of recent challenges to affirmative action and discussed the actions institutions are taking or are contemplating in the face of these…

This report was written to stimulate discussion about the potential and need for expanding access to voluntary, high-quality early childhood care and education programs in Illinois. The report compiles 13 short articles pertaining to early learning as follows: (1) "Ready to Succeed: Preparing Children for School, and for Life"; (2)…

Successful democracies and economies demand that all students acquire analytical thinking, adept communication, and complex problem-solving skills. This kind of authentic learning requires highly skilled, accomplished teachers working within a school climate that promotes powerful learning experiences. Recent research shows that the design,…

California state policies and regulations that force teacher education programs to limit enrollment because of insufficient resources, and discourage immigration of out-of-state teachers contribute to California's critical shortage of teachers. In addition, the quality of elementary instruction is jeopardized by regulations that diminish…

Outlines a framework for shaping reform policies on strategies for enhancing teacher capacity, using interview data from a study conducted in California, Michigan, and Vermont. Michigan has developed subject-matter objectives and assessments, Vermont uses a portfolio assessment system to help teachers learn about problem solving and develop new…

Discusses Missouri v. Jenkins and the U.S. Supreme Court decision that the state of Missouri had no obligation to endlessly fund remedies to correct specific past school discriminations. An appendix discusses educational remedies for school segregation and what social science research says about their development and effectiveness. (GR)

In 2005, an estimated 48 million children aged 0-18 years--12 percent of all children in sub-Saharan Africa--were orphans, and that number is expected to rise to 53 million by 2010. One quarter of all orphans are orphaned because of AIDS, and about 2.6 million children are currently infected with HIV. Untreated, most children born with HIV will…

This report examines access to higher education in underserved regions of Michigan. This study focuses on specific concerns about postsecondary education access in three geographically diverse areas of the state: suburban Macomb County; the city of Saginaw; and six rural counties in the northeastern Lower Peninsula. The report provides a summary…

The last decade has seen an enormous increase in interest in and use of educational indicators. This paper focuses on K-12 student outcome indicators and measures of how well students have learned what is expected of them--the raison d'etre of schooling. It provides a Canadian perspective on student outcome indicators and has three major purposes:…

This 1995 report presents information on the progress that Tennessee has made toward its 26 educational objectives for preschool through graduate education. It examines the following four areas: (1) the extent of duplication in elementary-secondary and postsecondary education; (2) the extent to which high-school graduation requirements are…

This report examines efforts by 12 formerly segregated states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia) to desegregate their higher education systems and increase educational opportunities for black and other minority students. It found that none of the…

This report documents the status of leadership training in 15 states in the southern United States. It notes that the public push for increased accountability necessitates the preparation of leaders who can stimulate peak performance. The report offers information on the Southern Regional Education Board's Leadership Academy, which has identified…

The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) is a nationwide, nonprofit organization of the 57 public officials who head departments of public education in the United States, 5 U.S. extra-state jurisdiction, the District of Columbia, and the Department of Defense Dependents Schools. States are currently at various stages in developing and…