The design and findings of three surveys describing art teachers--who they are, what they teach, how they teach, and what they value--are discussed and compared, and the need for ongoing studies of this nature is established. Data-gathering roles are also suggested for professional agencies and associations. (Author/RM)

This is the last in a series of four policy briefs to be published by The Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement in 2005. The briefs are intended to provide fresh insights and useful advice to policymakers and school assistance providers. The first part of this policy brief breaks down the process of sustaining improvement and…

This informational booklet contains background materials regarding the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) initiative to redesign its monitoring system. The booklet is intended to expand the knowledge and understanding of those individuals selected to participate in the RSA-sponsored monitoring conference that was held August 24 and 25,…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) of 2004 established a requirement that all states develop and submit to the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) a performance plan designed to improve the educational and functional outcomes for children with disabilities. The state plan must…

This document consists of the 2002-2003 issues of a quarterly newsletter intended to communicate the major developments within each sector of the child and youth indicators field. The newsletters feature regular sections on the community, state, and national scenes, and include sections of resources and data. The Summer 2002 issue includes…

This booklet gives smaller adult and community learning (ACL) providers and their partners a practical insight into how to adapt current approaches to quality improvement for their own institutions. The first sections set out how they can do the following: plan the process; collect, collate, and analyze data; make value judgements and act upon…

This digest reviews scientific and methodological problems in special education research related to race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. The first section of the digest discusses the various definitions of race, ethnicity, culture, and socioeconomic status. The problems with current race classification and the difficulties in determining the…

The Roger Tory Peterson Institute (Jamestown, New York) has been sparking a regional revival in K-12 nature studies and attracting attention from educators across America. Through summer training sessions and workshops, the Institute introduces multidisciplinary teams of teachers and community members to empirical research techniques for observing…

A discussion of survey methodology for investigating second language programs and instruction examines two methods: oral interviews and written questionnaires. Each method is defined, and variations are explored. For interviews, this includes individual, group, and telephone interviews. For questionnaires, this includes self-administered and…

This report examines the nature and extent of professional development activities, assesses the current National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) collection of professional development data, and recommends ways to enhance that data collection. Section 1, "Overview and Background," introduces the subject. Section 2, "Linking…

This brief summarizes data from a 1994-95 survey of the states on special education expenditures in the U.S. and analyzes other extant cost data that adjust for inflation and consider rising special education enrollments. The study estimates that the 1995-96 national expenditure for special education was about $32.6 billion (compared to $19.3…

As part of a multi-phase, Florida state-mandated study of state-wide higher education data resources and systems, this study focused on the use of student information for inter-sector policy analysis and decision making. In particular the question of whether to establish a master student-level database was explored. Through interviews with…

This report discusses how technical and technological advances in alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) have outstripped the ability to assess their impact on actual communication and argues that this is due in part to the lack of a consistent and reliable method to measure long-term communicative efficacy. The report proposes a…

This publication presents the outcomes of a distance education course on development and dissemination of indicators used for educational planning. The course took place from November 2000 to February 2001 and was attended by representatives from the ministries of education of Brazil, Cambodia, Estonia, Gambia, Lithuania, and Thailand. The overall…

Officials with the National Center for Education Statistics asked the National Research Center's Board on Testing and Assessment to convene a workshop to assist them with their decisions about reporting results for accommodating test takers. The day-long workshop brought together four panels of representatives from state assessment offices,…