With the existence of 67 monographs and approximately 60 practitioners trained in action research in the western and central parts of Pennsylvania from project years 1995-98, the 1998-99 Section 353 project expanded the action research network (ARN) to include teachers, administrators, and researchers in the northeastern and southeastern parts of…

This dissertation examines the Office Technology curriculum, which prepares students for the secretarial field, at a community college in western Canada. The study also explores and compares the perceptions of students, instructors, employers and working secretaries regarding the role of the secretary, and looks at the influences that shape…

This report details the outcomes of a study conducted in response to concerns about the impact of workforce development and welfare reform upon persons with disabilities being served by community rehabilitation programs. Twenty-three focus groups involving over 200 individuals were held in 13 different cities across eight states. Participants came…

Provides direction to child care center directors in conducting a climate survey which can indicate quality and staff morale problems with measures of motivation, commitment, satisfaction/dissatisfaction, responsibility, and staff concerns. Presents advice on the construct, administering, interpretation, and reporting of findings to avoid serious…

Budgetary and fiscal data from 11 school districts of varying wealth in New Jersey suggest that, in the first year of the state's Quality Education Act, the law has only modestly increased fiscal equality, with only minor cuts in funding in wealthy districts and some program improvement in poorer ones. (SLD)

Results of professional development programs for elementary through secondary teachers are described, with attention to improving practices for teaching students with learning disabilities and behavior disorders in general education. Four professional development programs explored effective formats and content, and three subsequent programs…

Provides an overview of the major federal and state health care programs serving children and pregnant women, including (1) Medicaid; (2) the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant Program; (3) the Community and Migrant Health Center Program; and (4) the Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children. (SLD)

The education finance bill recently passed by the federal government has changed the funding of many programs within the Office of Educational Research and Improvement. Budget lines that gained or lost are traced, with some explanation of the changes. Prospects for the 1993 federal education research budget are reviewed. (SLD)

Development of state leadership in implementing the quality mandate of Chapter 1 supplementary education programs is traced up to the 1988 Hawkins Stafford Act, which added procedural and accountability requirements. Challenges that states now face in the program improvement processes are described. (SLD)

Examined interventions and strategies used by Chapter 1 Program Improvement (PI) schools to improve academic program and Chapter 1 services. Site visits to 15 California elementary and middle schools show that schools engaged in change have common elements: strong leadership, quality core curriculum, school autonomy, district support, and parent…

A recent study by the Alliance for Higher Education Competitiveness, "Achieving Success in Internet-Supported Learning in Higher Education: Case Studies Illuminate Success Factors, Challenges, and Future Directions," pulled from the experiences of 21 institutions across all Carnegie classifications to provide insights into best practices for…

In this article, the author discusses small learning communities (SLCs), a term that is used to refer to the practice of organizing secondary schools into smaller units. Features of SLCs include small structure, curricular specialization and choice, a focus on the learner and learning, and, in particular, the active and collaborative nature of…

A program to train Negroes and Mexican Americans to become members ofthe well-paying truck driving industry is having successful results. (CK)