The most prominent option for finding a solution to the shortage of workers with STEM knowledge has been identified as specialized STEM schools by policymakers in the United States. The current perception of specialized STEM schools can be described as a unique environment that includes advanced curriculum, expert teachers, and opportunities for…

This book is the author's second book on preschool. His first book, "Investing in Kids: Early Childhood Programs and Local Economic Development" (2011), explored the connection between early childhood programs and the economic development of American states and metro areas, and compared early childhood programs with business tax…

For the past decade, MDRC has evaluated a number of interventions designed to improve the outcomes of community college students, including enhanced counseling, learning communities, and financial incentives. Encouragingly, many of these strategies have produced positive effects, affirming that changes in institutional practices and policies can…

For the past decade, MDRC has evaluated a number of interventions designed to improve the outcomes of community college students, including enhanced counseling, learning communities, and financial incentives. Encouragingly, many of these strategies have produced positive effects, affirming that changes in institutional practices and policies can…

Computer-Assisted Foreign Language Teaching and Learning: Technological Advances highlights new research and an original framework that brings together foreign language teaching, experiments and testing practices that utilize the most recent and widely used e-learning resources. This comprehensive collection of research will offer linguistic…

Increasing demands for evidence-based early childhood services and the need by policymakers to know whether a program is effective or whether it warrants a significant investment of public and/or private funds--coupled with the often-politicized debate around these topics--make it imperative for policymakers and civic leaders to have independent…

A framework is presented for use by the Board on International Comparative Studies in Education (BICSE) in advising the National Center for Education Statistics and the National Science Foundation on United States participation in international comparative studies of education. The framework may also be helpful in identifying areas of research…

Describes an automation project at the Merriam Center Library in which Apple Macintoshes were introduced as library workstations. The implementation process, staff involvement and reactions, and current configurations and applications of the workstations are discussed. An appendix provides a comparison of current microcomputer based workstations…

The characteristics of Canadian language immersion, bilingual education, and modified immersion programs are described, and their characteristics are compared with research findings on the characteristics of effective dual language programs. The information provided is intended to assist policymakers, educators, and community leaders in making…

The California legislature's Joint Legislative Audit Committee has issued a report on the design-build versus the design-bid-build process and offers a hybrid approach combining the two systems as a way of achieving the greatest cost efficiency at the least risk on public agencies. The cost benefits of faster delivery of the design-build method…

This study, undertaken from 1983-84 through 1988-89, compared the relative effectiveness of two alternative programs (structured English immersion and late-exit transitional bilingual education) with that of the program typically funded through the Bilingual Education Act, the early-exit transitional bilingual education program. The…

A study was conducted to obtain pilot evidence that could serve as a basis for developing convincing methods for individual Australian companies to use in determining their returns from investment in training. The study attempted to replicate survey results from significant overseas surveys by using information collected on more than 90 Australian…

This study describes how the contexts of mentoring shape the perspectives and practices of mentors in the Teacher Trainee Program in Los Angeles (California), an effort to recruit candidates to teach in inner city secondary schools by providing on-the-job training to college graduates, and in the Graduate Intern Program in Albuquerque (New…

The publication describes the process which created the Rural Virginia Development Foundation and the potential contribution it holds for the agricultural sector of Virginia's economy and for the state's rural communities. Following an introduction, Part II provides background, operating assumptions, and principal justification for the Foundation;…

Results of a National Research Council review of two major bilingual education studies are presented. The two studies were a national longitudinal study of the effectiveness of instruction of limited-English-proficient students and a study comparing three bilingual education program types (immersion, early exit, and late exit). The report contains…