This "Building Capacity for Change" "playbook" highlights practices and strategies that proved to be effective in supporting the rollout and implementation of certain programs under the New York State Department of Health's First 1,000 Days on Medicaid Initiative, a series of evidence-based reforms aimed at improving health and…

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) have ardent supporters and strong critics. The actual effect of the CCSS, however, will depend much less on the standards themselves than on how they are used. Two factors are particularly crucial. The first is whether states invest in the necessary curricular and instructional resources and supports, and the…

This guide is designed to help districts and schools evaluate reform efforts related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), including School Improvement Grants. It includes practical, how-to tips for conducting program evaluations, whether one takes a "do-it-yourself" approach or seeks outside assistance to evaluate reform…

This report presents a model state legislative bill to provide for the special needs of gifted and talented students. The model bill utilizes a "best practices" framework and attempts to be fiscally responsible and provide maximum flexibility while meeting the needs of gifted and talented students. The model legislation itself begins with a…

This report of the Panel on Quality Improvement in Student Financial Aid Programs examines the quality control of federal student financial aid programs covered by Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and offers recommendations calling for sweeping revisions of the present system. The report explores: (1) the quality control practices…

A study assessed strategies agencies use to ensure that their workforces are receiving the training necessary to implement acquisition initiatives. Focus was on the General Services Administration (GSA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and Department of Defense (DOD). Findings indicated that the critical elements important to…

This evaluative report by the General Accounting Office (GAO) summarizes Department of Education actions made through April 1996 in response to 205 recommendations to improve the management of federal student financial aid programs. The report concludes that the Department had completed actions or had actions in progress or planned for 186 of the…

This advisory report investigates the possible simplification of the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) and considers the issue of federal direct lending. The evaluation indicates that complexity in the FFELP is due to multiple, overlapping loan programs with conflicting terms and conditions. Nonstandard policies, procedures, forms, and…

Background questions to support a federally-sponsored assessment of major student aid delivery system options are addressed. Attention is directed to: (1) information needed by the U.S. Secretary of Education to decide about changes to the delivery system; (2) reasons that delivery system redesign is a critical issue; (3) what can be learned from…

This Advisory Committee's final report presents study activities, findings, and recommendations for the simplification of the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP). Analysis showed that the current FFELP program structure and operations are needlessly complex and require major reform. An interim report providing recommendations for the…

School reform efforts today have a personal focus that emphasizes attending to the problems faced by individual at-risk students. After outlining the impact of student dropouts, this document uses information from a review of 150 at-risk student programs described in related professional literature to describe six basic weaknesses in current…

Interactive research in the area of staff development at the building site level has been conducted recently by the Research and Development Center of the University of Texas, Austin. In this research study staff developers, principals, and resource teachers are given training, research information, and implementation strategies to improve…

This paper is one in a series of studies which highlight and synthesize recent research and practice in educational management. The paper presented here discusses recent research findings and current practice on the adoption, implementation, and integration of microcomputers into the instructional program at the elementary and secondary levels.…

This report proposes reform recommendations in the Federal Student Loan Program that are intended to reduce government (and taxpayer) costs, allow for the incorporation of the National Service Initiative, and provide more flexible repayment terms for borrowers. The proposal provides for an evaluation period for direct government lending, the…

This publication presents a set of eight recommended reforms and improvements for delivering financial aid to postsecondary students especially the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP). The recommendations are: (1) make applying for student aid simpler for students; (2) assure the continued availability of a dependable, reliable source of…