This report contains the results from the first administration of the fourth and sixth grade science and social studies portions of the Delaware Student Testing Program (DSTP). As such, they are an important part of the state's efforts to educate all students to a higher level. Science and social studies data for grades 4 and 6 are summarized…

This testimony of Donna Cohen Ross describes the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities' work to reduce the number of uninsured children. The Center specializes in programs and policies affecting low- and moderate-income families, including issues related to health coverage for the uninsured. It works with many groups on strategies to identify…

The community of child care providers in New Hampshire has adopted the Early Childhood Professional Development System as an initial step toward assuring quality care and education for children. This guide describes the components of that system and is presented in eight sections. Section 1 of the guide introduces the system based on a set of two…

This document presents a self-assessment instrument for early childhood programs serving 3- and 4-year-olds in Massachusetts. The self-assessment is intended to provide guidance to program personnel, local early childhood advisory council members, and parents as they evaluate their programs and identify areas for improvement. The instrument also…

Under the State Childrens Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), states have the option to subsidize employer premiums for low-income workers with children. Given the potential for subsidized employer-sponsored insurance (ESI) programs to reduce the number of uninsured children, this study examined SCHIPs regulations and state experiences with premium…

The missions and strategic plans of Iowa's Regent universities are structured to provide high-quality education, research, and outreach services throughout the state. Numerous partnerships and cooperative efforts have evolved to benefit the work of the universities and the needs of Iowans. This book provides an overview of some of these…

The Colorado Preschool Program (CPP) provides funding to establish quality early childhood education programs that serve children eligible to enroll in kindergarten the following year. A vital component of CPP is to strengthen families and support them as participants in their child's education. District Councils made up of representatives of key…

The new Elementary and Secondary Education Act amendments require states to begin annual testing in grades 3 through 8 in reading and mathematics by the 2005-2006 school year. Only 16 states currently have grade-by-grade tests in reading and mathematics, and only 9 of those have tests aligned with their standards, as the law requires. The rest of…

This document contains student and school system performance data on North Carolina's grade 3 pretest, end-of-grade tests, high school comprehensive test, and end-of-course tests. Results were generated from tests administered statewide in the 2000-2001 school year. The grade 3 pretest was administered in reading and mathematics, and the…

Under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), all public school districts, campuses, and the state are evaluated annually for Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). The Texas AYP plan meets the requirements of the NCLB, maintains the integrity of the Texas assessment program, and provides a mechanism for evaluating district and campus AYP in 2003. Following…

This Critical Issue Bibliography (CRIB) sheet focuses on performance indicators in higher education. Performance indicators are concrete pieces of information about a condition or result of public action that is regularly produced, publicly reported, and systematically used for planning, monitoring, or resource allocation. The resources in this…

Noting that reports by the National Research Council and the National Reading Panel show that children learn to read best if they are first provided with an understanding that sounds heard in spoken words correspond to letters seen in print, this issue of the "State Education Leader" newsletter explains that once this skill is acquired,…

To help facilitate focused and deliberate action, this report contains a current baseline assessment of the condition of research at colleges and universities in Virginia. The report brings together key sets of national data on research into one convenient place. It also provide a collection of many of the primary indicators used to assess how…

This study was commissioned to investigate issues related to the inclusion of the American College Testing Program (ACT) assessment within the Colorado State Assessment Program (CSAP). Analyses were carried out using assessment materials, assessment results, and various data from the ACT and the Colorado State Department of Education. One focus of…

The ABC Accountability Plan in North Carolina elementary and middle schools focuses primarily on the average growth shown by groups of students on end-of-grade reading and mathematics tests. Average test results for a group of students at the end of a year are compared to scores for the same students at the end of the prior year. Two levels of…