It is estimated that twenty percent of the general population has some signs of dyslexia, and eighty percent of the students eligible for special education under Specific Learning Disability (SLD) are eligible due to reading deficits. As research on dyslexia and our knowledge of best practice identification and intervention grows, it is no…

The second year of California's statewide administration of the Smarter Balanced assessment allows parents, educators, and policymakers a second look at achievement and a first look at growth for K-12 students as measured by this standardized test. This report describes how California's students performed on the second year of the assessment…

Educational opportunities and outcomes for California's Latino students have improved over the last half century. Even so, Latino students continue to face barriers in opportunity that make it harder for them to achieve college, career, and future success. The goal of this report is to describe what Latino students currently experience in…

The Big Lift™ (Big Lift) is a preschool-third-grade collective impact initiative in San Mateo County, California. The initiative is a partnership of the County of San Mateo, San Mateo County Office of Education, and the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. Launched in 2012, the initiative aims to boost children's reading proficiency by third grade…

"The Achiever" is a monthly publication for parents and community leaders from the Office of Communications and Outreach, U.S. Department of Education (ED). Each issue contains news and information about school improvement in the United States. Highlights of this issue include: (1) President Sets Agenda for Education; (2) "Beating…

The new call for a universal preschool system is prompting an important policy debate across California. How preschooling is expanded and improved with limited public resources depends on several key issues. The hopeful ideals of "preschool for all"--with children beginning school ready to learn--spark enthusiasm and broaden public will.…

School in the Park is an innovative museum-based educational effort to engage students in their community during the school day. Since 1999 several hundred students have been educated each year in museums and the zoo in San Diego. This is more than a field trip, it is changing the way that education is provided. Challenging the Classroom Standard…

A student's entire journey along the educational spectrum is affected by what occurs--and, crucially, by what does not occur--before the age of eight or nine. Yet early learning has never received the attention it deserves and needs. In his latest book, education expert Gene Maeroff takes a hard look at early learning and the primary grades of…

This handbook is designed to assist Samoan-speaking parents of students residing in California. It is intended to clarify the operation of schools so parents can better support their children's education. The handbook provides basic information on the educational system and policies in question-and-answer format, addressing topics such as:…

This guide informs parents about some instructional practices that work well for all elementary school students, in particular English learners. It includes questions parents can ask teachers and principals to help them understand how their children's school approaches teaching and learning. Both English and Spanish versions of the document are…

This Spanish-language version of a booklet intended for parents offers information about how reading instruction is changing and is now only one part of an integrated language arts curriculum. The booklet urges parents and educators to work together to help meet students' needs. Section titles include: Important Facts About Integrated Language…

Intended for parents, this booklet offers information about how reading instruction is changing and is now only one part of an integrated language arts curriculum. The booklet urges parents and educators to work together to help meet students needs. Section titles include: Important Facts About Integrated Language Arts; What to Expect in Your…

Beginning with a simple test that parents can conduct at home, this book presents a comprehensive and holistic program that any parent or teacher can use to help dyslexic children improve their reading, writing, and spelling. After an introduction that answers parents' questions about dyslexia, chapters in the book are: (1) Is Dyslexia Real?; (2)…

To encourage more active participation of language minority parents, Oakland Unified School District (California) initiated a parent leadership institute called OPTIMUM. This project helps parents establish cooperative school relationships, understand school organization, upgrade their own education while helping their children, and capitalize on…

To be used in conjunction with a document providing evaluation criteria for quality elementary school programs, this guide is designed to help members of a program review team conduct a program review. The first chapter describes the methodology and procedures of program review, the application of quality criteria to the school's curricular and…