This study explores the instructional decisions made by elementary principals in implementing dual language programs, with a focus on the choice of language for state reading assessments. Utilizing a qualitative phenomenological approach, the research examines the lived experiences of eight principals in a South Texas school district, offering…

Across the country, urban school districts are moving beyond industrial-era systems by creating "innovation" or "partnership" schools that have the freedom to reinvent the way they educate students. The Progressive Policy Institute released a how-to guide for legislators, district leaders, and advocates who want to create more…

In education, practitioners are increasingly looking for strategies to bring data and evidence into decisionmaking and to roll out programs in intentional ways that allow for ongoing improvement. This toolkit acts as a guide to improvement strategies for teams of practitioners at colleges, providing them with the knowledge and tools they need to…

Policymakers and researchers often talk about "autonomous schools" as if there's a single, agreed-upon definition of what that means. In reality, there's no standard design for autonomous school policies, and school autonomy can mean a lot of different things. The policies that states have enacted vary widely in terms of their goals, the…

As community colleges across the country look for ways to promote student success, the need for scaling effective approaches is critical. This guide builds on a framework of four phases of scaling developed in Job For the Future's (JFF's) previous publication, "Thinking Big: A Framework for States on Scaling Up Community College…

Technological innovation is driving fundamental changes in all aspects of our lives. This is especially true of digital content, as our use of e-books, downloadable music, streaming television and movies, and online social networks has exploded. However, the explosive growth in our use of digital content seems so far to have eluded many of the 50…

This paper lists the standards for a course in driver education approved for Texas schools. The guidelines cover administration and supervision; teacher certification; teaching assistants; course requirements; scheduling; instructor hours, class size, and age level; driver education course records; signatures; control of standards; and procedures…

Containing four sections of materials for workshop presenters to teach phonics and word recognition, this guide assists early reading program educators (grades K-3) in enhancing the Reading and Language Arts knowledge and skills of Texas students. Section 1, an introduction, defines the purpose of the guide and outlines six goals. Section 2,…

These guides focus on reading fluency and reading comprehension. Part I focuses on the instructional techniques called Partner Reading because of its strong empirical base across readers who fail to acquire reading fluency for any number of reasons. Part II focuses on reading comprehension, which is one of several essential skills that enable…

This paper offers a literature review of materials concerning inclusion of students with disabilities, and reports on the 3-year development of an inclusion program at one elementary school in Texas. The literature review is organized into sections which address legislative initiatives and law, special education programs with mainstreaming, the…

In three southwestern states, grassroots movements of citizens, educators, and local businesses developed and implemented two-way interactive television projects in their schools and communities. A descriptive multiple case study design was used to examine six project sites in New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma. Research questions were categorized in…

Anglo, Black, Hispanic, and Vietnamese parents with children enrolled in school districts in northeast Texas responded to a questionnaire to determinie their perceptions, attitudes, and knowledge about bilingual education. Responses revealed differences according to ethnicity, source of information about bilingual education, and whether a child…

The Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP) is a statewide program designed to ensure that all students attending public colleges and universities have the basic reading, mathematics, and writing skills necessary to perform effectively at the college level. All entering first-time freshmen are required to take the TASP test, which has a basic skills…

This publication is intended to provide Texas educators with a ready reference concerning Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, a chart comparing this statute with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), practical suggestions for implementing the statute, and the federal regulations and analysis. The first section presents…

Texas's state plan for homeless education is presented in response to requirements of Title VII-B of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act of 1987. The plan is comprised of prefatory material, four main sections, and four appendices. The prefatory material consists of the following parts: (1) a prefatory statement; (2) a copy of the…