Just because a school has adopted a social and emotional learning (SEL) program does not mean it will work. This book explores the conditions needed to implement, strengthen, and sustain effective SEL, and identifies paths that schools, districts, and states have taken to create those conditions. Major themes include equity of access to…

Why are equity visits such a critical first step to increasing opportunity and access for our under-served students? Because they take instructional rounds to a new level, providing a powerful lens for investigating the intersections of equity and instruction. After all, how can we possibly deliver equitable learning experiences. That is where…

This article reviews the findings from our research in Head Start classrooms and their potential theoretical importance. Practical suggestions are offered to administrators and teachers as to ways to promote friendships in classroom settings. Some approaches are likely to work better for boys and others for girls. Understanding how children select…

Teach For America (TFA) and the Teaching Fellows programs are an important and growing source of teachers of hard-to-staff subjects in high-poverty schools, but comprehensive evidence of their effectiveness has been limited. This report presents findings from the first large-scale random assignment study of secondary math teachers from these…

Teach For America (TFA) and the Teaching Fellows programs are an important and growing source of teachers of hard-to-staff subjects in high-poverty schools, but comprehensive evidence of their effectiveness has been limited. This report presents findings from the first large-scale random assignment study of secondary math teachers from these…

Teaching cases are a valuable tool in preparing teachers and school administrators to engage effectively with families. Because the case method presents a story in practice, it offers students an active learning opportunity. Teaching cases involve real world situations and consider the perspectives of various stakeholders, including teachers,…

The guide is intended to help technology educators and administrators recognize the characteristics of students with special needs and modify the learning environment and instructional process appropriately. Standards applicable to special needs students from among 235 designed for general technological education are cited, and the background of…

This booklet examines the plight of homeless families who have children who need special educational services. It explores the magnitude of homelessness among families, provides empirical descriptions of homeless populations, and identifies factors contributing to the rising incidence of homelessness in the United States. Specific effects of…

Under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), every school is subject to the controversial mandates for annual test score gains contained in the federal law. The law represents a profound change in the relationship between the federal government and state and local education agencies regarding who controls education and has direct implications for…

Here, author William A. Sampson examines the role of the family in the school preparation process among poor Blacks and Latinos. It is based upon the data collected during intense long-term observations of 21 disadvantaged minority students and families in their homes within the same community. The data suggests that the differences in…

Describes the success of the Escalante Math Program in East Los Angeles in teaching mathematics to poor minority students. Fundamental principles of the program include the following: (1) accountability; (2) hard work; (3) demand; (4) love; (5) parental involvement; (6) respect and values; (7) nutrition; and (8) drug use prevention. Discusses…

In the course of a national survey of schools funded under Chapter 1 of the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act, other studies and data were reviewed to determine what was already known about compensatory education. This literature review covers several types of studies on the nature of Title I/Chapter 1 instructional services, staff, and…

This booklet for teachers and administrators presents suggestions for addressing the needs of homeless children as they enter school, and for helping the children feel safe, comfortable, part of the group, able to contribute and participate, and important and valued. Tips and recommendations are presented under the following headings: (1) school…

This guide tells the story of a successful collaboration between The City Literary Institute and homelessness agencies to create an arts-based learning program for homeless people in central London. It identifies guidelines and good practice to stimulate similar work in other locations with problems of homelessness and rough sleeping. The guide is…

This document is a "theme" issue of a quarterly serial publication. It focuses on identifying and serving gifted children from diverse populations. The first article, "Eliminating Four Barriers to the Identification of Gifted Minority Students" by Mary Frasier, notes that: (1) not every impoverished home is illiterate; (2) limited opportunities…