Since the Montessori method was introduced in the United States, the original Montessori philosophy has evolved to incorporate many American adaptations. This paper explores how teachers in one Montessori school introduced new elements to the existing principles of Maria Montessori in their classrooms. The case study shows that these teachers have…

The federal government's WIC program, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, is designed to improve the health and development of low-income women and young children. California's passage of Proposition 10, the "Children and Families First Act," has created a climate that encourages collaborative…

The effectiveness of the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS), North Carolina, plan to reduce class size was evaluated, assessing program implementation and the effects of class size reduction on academic achievement. For the 1999-2000 school year, North Carolina received federal funds targeting class size reduction under the Class Size…

This guide assists educators in the process of implementing or strengthening a using the Environment as an Integrating Context for learning (EIC) program in their school. The purpose of the self-evaluation guide is to provide teachers and principals with an instrument that they can use to assess the current status of their programs in relation to…

This guide assists educators in the process of implementing or strengthening a using the Environment as an Integrating Context for learning (EIC) program in their school. This self-evaluation guide provides teachers and principals with an instrument that they can use to assess the current status of their programs in relation to the leadership that…

This statewide evaluation of Even Start family literacy programs in Maine was conducted from November 1999 through September 2000. Six out of seven Even Start programs funded by the Maine State Department of Education for the 1999-2000 year participated in the study. All Maine Even Start programs offer a combination of home-based and center-based…

Individually Guided Education (IGE) is an alternative to the traditional age-graded form of elementary schooling. In a typical IGE school, the principal shares her/his authority with leaders of units in decision-making domains and reaches decision by consensus. The leader of a unit in turn shares his/her authority with unit teachers in making…

The first step to meeting the fundamental aim of any educational institution is to understand clearly what the students need. Needs assessment is a tool educators can use to help meet this goal. Needs assessment data suggest the basis for plans, strategies, and practices that may ultimately lead to school improvement. This chapter reviews issues…

This report is an evaluation of the pilot year of Project Achieve, a major local instructional initiative at six elementary schools and two middle schools in the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS), North Carolina, that was designed to help reach the WCPSS goal of 95% of students at or above grade level. Participating schools had a higher…

This slide presentation outlines one state's (Utah) version of implementation of a model for literacy learning under the Reading Excellence Act (REA). According to the presentation, the model is called "The Utah Reads K-3 Literacy Model." The presentation is divided into the following sections: Utah's Vision: What We've Learned So Far;…

This guidebook, aimed at middle-level policy advisors and planners in education, suggests a methodology that can be used to monitor progress in the implementation of Education for All (EFA) programs regardless of the proprieties and targets involved at the national level of the individual country. The first chapter discusses the decision to…

As part of the Assessing the New Federalism project, this paper explores the role of the state and federal government in narrowing state spending differences among noneducation children's programs. An analysis of the variation among states in need, capacity, and willingness to spend is followed by an analysis of two federal funding…

Contemporary Mathematics in Context is a four-year, integrated mathematics program developed by the Core-Plus Mathematics Project (CPMP) at the Everyday Learning Corporation. The program features student and teacher materials for a three-year core curriculum for all students as well as a fourth-year course continuing the preparation of students…

The Balanced and Restorative Justice Model (BARJ) outlines an alternative philosophy, "restorative justice," and a new mission that requires juvenile justice professionals to devote attention to enabling offenders to make amends to their victims and the community, increasing offender competencies, and protecting the public through…

This handbook has been developed to offer guidelines and suggestions to volunteers in mentoring programs to help them strengthen the mentoring relationship. The program for which the handbook was designed, the Mentor/Tutor Network in Madison, Wisconsin, has evolved into a comprehensive support system for schools to collaborate with community…