The River Bend Tech Prep project was undertaken to develop a tech prep curriculum in high schools in the Lewis and Clark Community College (LCCC) district in Illinois to improve students' academic skills and eventual employment opportunities and contribute to the region's economic growth and stability. The following activities were completed…

An evaluation was made of the programs of the Des Moines Independent Community School District's Department of Community/Adult and Continuing Education. The 1992-93 budget for the department was $1,385,000. Ten full-time staff and 300 part-time staff administer, teach, and support program offerings. The department provides educational,…

This paper presents findings of a case study that documented the implementation of a portfolio assessment system in response to mandated program improvement and assessed its impact on teacher and student behaviors. The sample included elementary and middle school teachers and students from three Chapter 1 schools in a rural California school…

The Citrus County (Florida) Professional Orientation Program is designed to increase student learning by providing a set of supervised support services for teachers in the first year(s) of teaching that will assist them in their continuing professional development. The program provides for the development, demonstration, and documentation of…

Lessons learned from Onderwijs un Sociaal Milieu (OSM), or Education and Social Origin, the largest compensation and enrichment program ever developed in The Netherlands, are described in this paper. Although the program did not raise lower class students' standardized test scores to the national level, the program had overly ambitious goals and…

This workbook offers information about building community support for educational reform, particularly for improving mathematics and science education. Following an introductory chapter that explains the need for community support, the second chapter offers step-by-step suggestions for bringing the community together, some of which are identifying…

This guide describes the Designated Vocational Instruction (DVI) approach, an interdisciplinary effort of Wisconsin special and vocational educators to improve the scope, sequence, and quality of secondary vocational education for students with disabilities. The essence of the DVI approach is to integrate learners who participate in special…

This handbook aims to assist Colorado school districts as they implement Colorado's Basic Literacy Act of 1996. Suggestions in the handbook are grounded in research and aimed towards one goal: to ensure that all Colorado students are reading well. The handbook notes that the act makes three promises: Colorado educators will work in partnership…

When California implemented its class-size reduction (CSR) program in 1996, a number of questions regarding financial burdens, teacher shortages, scarcity of facilities, and collective bargaining were raised. This first-year implementation study aims to provide some contextual information as background for answering questions, to clarify these…

This document describes programs that provide support for at-risk students in the various schools of the Charleston (South Carolina) school district. The 12 elementary schools implement a variety of approaches in their programs, from teachers providing mutual support to programs targeting specific curriculum areas, such as reading programs or…

This issue of "EFA 2000" focuses on the theme of inclusive education, i.e., including children with disabilities in general education classrooms. The cover story discusses a 1995 UNESCO survey of 63 countries that showed that integration of children with disabilities in regular schools is a declared policy in almost every country.…

This digest documents the experiences of faculty, administrators, and staff at several colleges as they addressed a broad range of instructional technology issues. Included in the digest are several approaches suggested by instructors and staff affiliated with various community college technology programs. Plans for implementation, development,…

Schools are increasingly confronted with crisis events. This resource aid packet provides materials to facilitate planning and implementation of a school-based crisis response and related staff training. The packet is divided into four sections. The first offers a brief overview that can be shared with school staff to raise awareness about the…

This paper reports on an investigation of educator reaction to one state's systemic school reform legislation. Educators have generally been reticent to embrace state-level legislation reform initiatives while simultaneously agreeing with their ultimate goals. Findings are the latest data in a 5-year longitudinal study begun in 1992 that focused…

This guide may be used by charter school operators in developing a business plan that can be used as a management tool in individual schools and in preparing applications for charters, renewals, and grants and loans. A sound business plan must reflect the school's ideas, assets, and needs clearly and succinctly. Drafting a business plan begins…