As part of the ongoing efforts in the state of Alaska to improve the health and well-being of the state's young children, the Alaska Departments of Education and Early Development and Health and Social Services are collaborating to develop a plan to address the critical outcomes and strategies that will support and improve the lives of Alaska's…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that each state education agency (SEA) establish and maintain an advisory panel for the purpose of providing policy guidance with respect to special education and related services for children with disabilities. This document is a brief summary of survey information received from 48…

This report discusses the outcomes of a study that examined the use of accommodations in state assessment by students with disabilities and explored several related factors. A survey of states indicated 12 states (Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, and West…

A database was assembled from data collected on all people served by the Developmental Disabilities divisions of Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming, including state institutions and state-funded programs (n=5,928). Information included provider expenditures associated with each individual, allocations made by individual reimbursement rates,…

The Michigan School Readiness Program (MSRP), a state-initiated and state-funded preschool program, serves more than 20,000 four-year-olds identified as being at risk for school failure each year. A longitudinal evaluation followed 2 cohorts selected from 7 sites from kindergarten through Grade 3 for Cohort 1 and through Grade 2 for Cohort 2. Each…

This document is comprised of the two issues in volume 4 of "Bridges," a publication produced by the California Head Start-State Collaboration Office to detail the activities of the educational partnership and to provide relevant information to programs participating in the partnership. The spring 1999 issue focuses on the service system…

The Vermont Institute for Science, Math and Technology (VISMT) was established in 1992 as a nonprofit organization to implement a $9.6 million dollar grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded to the Vermont Department of Education. The goal of the project is to dramatically transform science, math, and technology education for all…

Designing a remediation program to meet students' needs involves finding out what a student knows and needs to know. An online testing program, such as eduTest, may provide the answers. This test is a versatile instrument that offers benchmark tests, grade specific tests, and strand tests in the four content areas for grades K through 8. The…

Expressing concern for the quality of care supported by Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) funds, welfare reform legislation required states to set aside at least 4 percent of their total grant to improve child care quality and availability. In preparation for reauthorizing CCDF, this General Accounting Office report was commissioned to…

As part of a series of reports designed to support the implementation of Proposition 10: The California Children and Families Act and to provide comprehensive and authoritative information on critical issues concerning young children and families in California, this report examines home visiting as a service delivery strategy for early…

This assessment packet contains all materials to assess a student's competency in personal development. The purpose of the tests at the state level is to demonstrate achievement in knowledge associated with work and family life competencies. Used by the classroom teacher, the results can indicate a program's strengths and weaknesses and serve as a…

Writing assessment began in Alaska in the 1970s, and the Alaska Writing Assessment (AWA) that was piloted in 1997 built on previous efforts. The 1997 AWA involved more than 20,000 students in grades 5, 7, and 10 from 43 school districts, and the mandatory assessment planned for 1998 will include approximately 28,000 students. This review of the…

A study examined time limits from the perspectives of welfare recipients and line staff in welfare agencies. Data on time-limited welfare were drawn from staff surveys and from group and individual interviews with both staff and recipients in selected locations in Florida, Vermont, and Wisconsin during the first half of 1996. Findings indicated…

This paper examines the purposes and criteria of statewide program evaluations in higher education, focusing on the development of program evaluations in Illinois, and presents new statewide criteria for program approval and review. It also discusses the role of the Illinois State Board of Higher Education in approving and reviewing programs at…

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) has challenged test developers to create a voluntary program of certification in which highly accomplished teachers receive recognition for meeting rigorous standards. These four papers report the experiences of teacher-candidates, school district administrators, researchers, and test…