Improving access to college for Latinos and other underrepresented minorities is a serious policy dilemma, particularly in states where they constitute large and growing numbers of the college-age population. Latinos as a group face numerous obstacles to college attendance, including a lack of knowledge about college and how to get there,…

In September 2002, the children of parents Latasha Gibbs, Carmella Glass, Laverne Jones, Charlene Mingo, Deborah Powell-Jasper, Eunice Staton, and Keikola Valentine were attending New York City public schools that the state education department identified as needing improvement -- in other words, failing -- under the No Child Left Behind (NCLB)…

Dual-enrollment programs, which allow high school students to enroll in college courses and earn college and high school credit simultaneously, are one method to introduce students to the idea of college and to its academic and social demands. The college credits that high school students potentially can earn also tend to be free or low-cost--a…

This study examined reports and programs from across the state, the nation and from international sources to gather a broad selection of published and unpublished environmental education research. A variety of sources were used, such as the internet, interviews with key informants and experts in the field of environmental and sustainability…

Reliable and current data is the foundation upon which good public policymaking is built. While California collects a good deal of data on its teaching workforce, policymakers have lacked a state-level data and analysis system to provide answers to even some of the most basic questions: How many credential holders actually take jobs? In what types…

Secondary vocational-technical education programs in Mississippi are faced with many challenges resulting from sweeping educational reforms at the national and state levels. Schools and teachers are increasingly being held accountable for providing true learning activities to every student in the classroom. This accountability is measured through…

At 40.4 million strong (14% of the U.S. population; U.S. Bureau of the Census 2005), Latinas/os are the largest and fastest growing U.S. ethnic minority group. In the last 15 years, since the Los Angeles riots of 1992, Anglo perceptions that the Latina/o population is too large, growing too fast, and too illegal have both continued and perpetuated…

This study examines the implications that state educational policies, such as high-stakes testing in English and Proposition 227, have on teaching and learning in primary language instruction for English learners in California. Utilizing cultural-historical activity theory of learning and development, this qualitative case study uncovers the…

NCLB, Alaska Statute 14.03.120 and State Regulation 4 AAC 06.895 require each school and district to disseminate a report card to parents before the school opens for instruction in the fall. Each school site, working with the district, is responsible for determining the format of the report. This handbook has been developed to assist districts in…

The Education Commission of the States (ECS) recently conducted analyses, interviews and a survey for a study designed to identify the most pressing early learning issues facing policymakers. The goal was to hear both from those who are faced with making decisions and from those who are on the ground conducting research and developing programs. To…

In 2004, the Legislature and the Governor of Washington State revised the roles and responsibilities of the Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB). House Bill 3103 directed the HECB to establish an accountability monitoring and reporting system to determine how performance would be measured, set targets for achievement within this framework,…

Governor Mike Easley signed into law House Bill 1151 in July 2006, requiring schools to develop a plan to provide at least five hours of duty-free instructional planning time per week and a daily duty-free lunch period for every teacher. Acknowledging the difficulties in creating school schedules that incorporate sufficient non-instructional…

This paper is a report on the statewide effort to address the rising costs of college textbooks in Connecticut. The report is in four sections: (1) a summary of the recommendations made by the Connecticut Taskforce on the Cost of College Textbooks, in response to Special Act 04-3; (2) a summary of actions taken by the Board of Governors for Higher…

According to data collected by the National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (NECTAC), states are increasingly offering what they describe as a "single certificate" for early childhood and early childhood special education (i.e., certification that covers children both with and without disabilities). This document describes…

This is the first in a trilogy of policy briefs discussing public education and taxes. This brief discusses the challenge facing Texas in funding public education. This brief also explains why the Texas Supreme Court's recent decision in "West Orange-Cove II" requires increased state appropriations for public education.