Reviews precedents, at the state level, to the movement for education reform. Reports, by year and state, on first reactions to reform. Outlines topics touched by state reform efforts, summarizes unifying themes, and predicts the future of reform. Includes a table of states requiring testing for initial certification of teachers. (IW)

State leaders, parents, and business people want to be sure that students truly learn what they are being taught in school. Today, basic skills are not sufficient to guarantee that children will find good jobs and become productive citizens. As a result, the Alabama State Legislature passed its Education Accountability Law in 1995. The new…

This research brief summarizes a report by Christopher Jepsen and Steven Rivkin, "Class Size Reduction, Teacher Quality, and Academic Achievement in California Public Elementary Schools" (2002) [ED497298]. Intuitively, class size reduction is a good idea. Parents support it because it means that their children will receive more…

This document was designed to inform members of the policy, education, and research communities about existing state and institutional policies and practices associated with four accelerated learning programs: Advanced Placement (AP), dual/concurrent enrollment, the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program, and Tech-Prep. This effort was…

In 2003, the Lumina Foundation for Education launched a major initiative, "Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count," to increase student success at community colleges. The initiative focuses on colleges with high enrollments of low-income students and students of color. In the first round, 27 colleges in five states were selected.…

"Child Care Health Connections" is a bimonthly newsletter published by the California Childcare Health Program (CCHP), a community-based program of the University of California, San Francisco School of Nursing, Department of Family Health Care Nursing. The goals of the newsletter are to promote and support a healthy and safe environment…

This document contains the 2000-2001 issues of the "NABE News," a magazine about bilingual education. The theme of each issue is: (1) "Back to School: Anti-Bilingual Ballot Initiatives To Affect Thousands of LEP Students"; (2) "Serving Emerging Populations: School Districts Re-Tool To Respond to New Students' Needs";…

This document consists of the eight issues of volumes 9 and 10 of a publication of the International Montessori Society providing news and information to extend awareness and interest in the application of Montessori educational principles and to promote harmony in the Montessori community. Regular sections in each issue provide information on…

This paper presents findings from the 1999 Survey of California Teacher Education, with follow-up telephone interviews in 2000. The four-item survey examined the extent to which 53 California teacher training institutions included courses, activities, and modules relating to three areas of focus identified in state documents: (1) developing…

These proceedings present testimony from the California Senate Select Committee on Higher Education Admissions and Outreach and the California Senate Select Committee on Higher Education regarding undergraduate admissions at the University of California (UC) in the aftermath of Proposition 209 and California Board of Regents' Special Proposal 1…

The school legislation of the two-year period here under review comprises the most recent enactments of all the States, since all legislatures met within the period, and six States--Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, South Carolina, and Georgia--whose lawmakers meet annually, held two meetings of their respective legislative…

Briefly describes Oregon's 1991 gifted education law; formal parent complaints alleging noncompliance by Portland and Salem-Keizer school districts; state department of education findings of noncompliance; and the steps taken to improve gifted education. Sidebars discuss tailoring teacher training to the community, and Northwest regional resources…

Farm to school (FTS) programs have been getting more and more attention these days. FTS programs aim to increase the supply of fresh, locally grown farm products served for meals and snacks in K-12 school environments, and tend to incorporate educational and experiential components designed to increase students' understanding of and engagement…

As part of an effort to end the California budget stalemate, an agreement was reached among state legislators to increase tuition fees for community college students and to impose a $50-per-unit "differential fee" on students already holding a baccalaureate degree. A survey by the Chancellor's Office for the California Community Colleges…

This qualitative study examined the impact of open enrollment policies in Minnesota on eight school districts with larger than average transfers of students with disabilities. A series of case studies investigated implementation issues, effects on special education programs, effects on decision making in funding and planning, perceptions and…