Schools are learning organisations. They continuously strive to do better for the children and young people in their charge. In doing so, they try new things, seek to learn from those experiences, and work to adopt and embed the practices that work best. Implementation is a key aspect of what schools do to improve, and yet it is a domain of school…

The instructional programs educators design to help English Learner (EL) students work toward English proficiency look different in schools across the United States. This is due in part to the variety of approaches K-12 educators take to important questions such as: Should the program foster bilingualism or focus solely on English? Should ELs…

Maria Montessori developed a form of education in the first half of the last century that came to be called by her surname, and research indicates it often has positive outcomes. In the years since its development, tens of thousands of schools worldwide have called their programs "Montessori," yet implementations vary widely, leading to…

Over the past decade, schools, districts, and states have become increasingly savvy with data collection and analysis to drive student outcomes. The development and use of Early Warning Indicator and Intervention Systems (EWS) are at the cutting edge of the data- driven, outcomes-focused, high-impact education movement. These systems can increase…

This report provides guidance and information on resources to assist elementary schools, parents, community members, and policymakers in implementing a systemic approach to standards-based education. It makes clear recommendations on how schools can achieve a coordinated system in which standards, assessment, accountability, and curriculum are…

The mission of the North American Council for Online Learning (NACOL) is to increase educational opportunities and enhance learning by providing collegial expertise and leadership in K-12 online teaching and learning. "National Standards for Online Course Quality" is designed to provide states, districts, online programs, and other organizations…

In this guide, the results and findings of a major survey of magnet schools are organized into a practical manual for school districts to use in planning, developing, and implementing new magnet programs or improving those already in existence. The guide is divided into three sections: (1) key steps in magnet program development (an outline of…

This booklet, which was developed to accompany training workshops offered through the regional curriculum service units of the New Jersey State Department of Education, provides an overview of issues involved in the making of educationally sound decisions about establishing and implementing all-day kindergarten programs. The booklet is designed…

Between 2001 and 2005, the state of Maine shifted the focus of its statewide high school improvement efforts to include an explicit focus on adolescent literacy. One trigger for that change in focus was a 5-school adolescent literacy initiative previously launched in a rural county under the federal Northeast and Islands Regional Educational…

This Toolkit is meant to be a resource for teachers, parents, and administrators involved with two-way immersion (TWI) programs, particularly those at the elementary level. Two-way immersion is a form of dual language instruction that brings together students from two native language groups for language, literacy, and academic content instruction…

A large and growing body of research supports the critical relationship between early childhood experiences and successful life-long outcomes. Assessing the readiness of children as they enter school is a high priority. This report describes findings from Year Two of the assessment of school readiness with a larger random sample of children…

The Gifted and Talented Program (GAT) of the Mellon Junior High School, Mt. Lebanon School District, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was evaluated in 1985. Questionnaires were sent to 139 parents and 50 academic teachers. In addition, 9 teachers, 4 administrators, and 12 parents were interviewed. Responses were summarized in detail regarding 14 topics,…

The Padres a la escuela (PAE) or Parents in the School program in San Antonio (Texas) encouraged the participation of Hispanic parents in the education of their children. The successes of the PAE program are used in this guidebook to help parents, program staff, and policy makers in similar efforts. This handbook describes the history,…

The Hawkins Stafford Act of 1988 amended the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. Chapter 1 provides financial assistance through the state education agencies to local education agencies to meet the special needs of educationally disadvantaged children in areas with high concentrations of children from low-income families, as well as…

This handbook provides information about an innovative model, Partners for Valued Youth (PVY), that encourages "at-risk" students to stay in school and to set broader goals for themselves through a cross-age tutoring experience in which at-risk middle school students tutor younger, elementary school students. After a preface, the…