This report summarizes the ninth survey of state directors of special education by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) at the University of Minnesota. Results include all 50 states and 9 of the 11 federally funded entities (unique states). The purpose of this report is to provide a snapshot of the new initiatives, trends,…

The use of recent college graduates as volunteer teachers has increased in recent years with the growth of the Teach for America program and alternative middle schools for at-risk children from low income homes. Very few studies to date have investigated the effects of the use of such teachers on student learning and engagement in school. The…

High parental involvement has been linked to increases in student achievement and engagement in school (Moore, 1992; Swap, 1993; Henderson and Berla, 1994; Fuller and Olsen, 1998). Schools with large populations of low-income students or students of color often have difficulties in engaging a majority of parents due to a variety of social and…

Leaders of American schools are approaching a crossroads. They can continue to struggle with outdated assumptions and increasingly demoralizing workplaces, or they can step back and reexamine what students must take away from schools to fulfill their potential in life--and what teachers need to help them get it. This book makes the case that it is…

This study reviews the disparities in role assumptions and expectations that underlie the classroom communication between Chinese learners and expatriate teachers in China. The central issue is the miscommunication of teacher-student role conceptualizations and expectations. Differing role assumptions predate teachers' teaching methods and…

This qualitative research examined classroom behaviors and school perceptions of female students of color (Latina and African American) in single-gender and coeducational secondary-level special education placements for students with mild to moderate learning disabilities. Classroom observations and interviews were conducted with eight female…

This guide is designed as a community-based resource for women who are interested in developing leadership skills in group facilitation, community building, and community action. It provides an integrated feminist anti-oppression learning framework that links social justice issues and the questions of race, gender, class, and all other forms of…

A survey of 1,500 Canadian adults looked at the full range of adults' learning activities, including informal learning related to employment, community volunteer work, household work, and other general interest. Findings indicated those in the labor force, or expecting to be in soon, participated in informal learning related to current or…

Researchers investigated effects of adult learning (AL) on a range of measures of health and social capital and cohesion. Data from the National Child Development Study relating to almost 10,000 adults born in Britain in 1958 were used, with focus on changes in their lives between age 33 in 1991 and 42 in 2000. Findings indicated AL played an…

This report is a synthesis of the Midterm Review of the Fifth International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA V), a systematic effort to determine how recommendations made at CONFINTEA V in 1997 have been implemented and its commitments met by examining activities carried out worldwide in the field of adult education and learning since…

This report summarizes findings from case studies that explored the implementation of the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and how it affects school district progress toward addressing the behavioral needs of students. Results are also presented on the progress districts are making on: developing…

Further education colleges have been recognized for significant contribution to delivery of the government's agendas of economic competitiveness and social well-being. These two priorities have been identified: widening participation and raising standards. The Learning and Skills Act 2000 has established the Learning and Skills Council to plan and…

The Toyota Families in Schools (TFS) Program is a new family literacy initiative that was developed by the National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL) with support from the Toyota Motor Corporation. TFS is based on a previous NCFL model calling for providing literacy activities to preschoolers and parents from low-income families. NCFL wanted to…

The impact of participation in a vocational student organization (VSO) on student achievement was examined. First, an exhaustive review of the recent literature on VSOs was conducted. In addition, a survey aimed at state directors of VSOs was developed and pilot tested on a purposefully-selected sample of 25 state directors of VSOs. A response…

The percentage of adults aged 65 years or older is expected to increase from 12 percent of the population in 1980 to more than 21 percent by the year 2030. Since many adults stay involved with learning activities well into their 80s and 90s, educational organizations have a great opportunity to supply learning activities to this population. To…