As policymakers contemplate expanding preschool opportunities for low-income children, one possibility is to fund 2, rather than 1 year of Head Start for children at ages 3 and 4. Another option is to offer 1 year of Head Start followed by 1 year of pre-K. We ask which of these options is more effective. We use data from the Oklahoma pre-K study…

As policy-makers contemplate expanding preschool opportunities for low-income children, one possibility is to fund two, rather than one year of Head Start for children at ages 3 and 4. Another option is to offer one year of Head Start followed by one year of pre-k. We ask which of these options is more effective. We use data from the Oklahoma…

Several decades of research have suggested a meaningful relationship between time and learning, where the amount of time students spend engaged in learning is strongly associated with their level of achievement. Among schools that have expanded the day and/or year, researchers have found that such a strategy can be quite effective, especially with…

Difficulties in paying for college and in maintaining good academic performance are two major hurdles to college graduation for low-income students. In recent years, state and federal budgets for postsecondary education have been cut significantly, limiting the options policymakers, education leaders, and communities have to improve rates of…

A comparison of half-day and full-day intervention programs for handicapped preschoolers evaluated students' scores on a developmental inventory and cost data. Results indicated no differences in the educational outcomes associated with length of day and showed that half-day programs served 60 percent more children than full-day programs with the…

PROTEACH is a newly redesigned five-year preservice teacher preparation program at the University of Florida. During progress through the program, the bachelor's degree is obtained, and the program culminates on completion of the master's degree. Program features include emphasis on research and study in fields supplementary to education-related…

A redesigned preservice education curriculum, conceived to strengthen ties between special and regular elementary teachers, featured the extensive use of practicums and student teaching. A questionnaire was developed to secure external evaluation and validation of the program. The specific research objective was concerned with how members of the…

In the spring of 1981 the School of Education at the University of Kansas announced that students matriculating subsequent to that date would have to meet the requirements of a new teacher education program of 162 hours spread over five academic years. The decision to initiate an extended teacher education program culminated several years of…

This survey was requested by the National Commission on Excellence in Education to provide input from schools, colleges, and departments of education (SCDE's) on improving the quality of teacher education. Survey questions sought information on preferences for recommendations to make curriculum more rigorous, raise entrance criteria, and extend…

This compendium identifies and describes schools, programs, and policies that link secondary and postsecondary education to help students earn college credit or take college-level courses while in high school. It raises issues for practitioners and policymakers to consider as these program grow and target a wider range of students. This compendium…

In the first part of this presentation, a critique is made of teacher education in general, pointing out the fact that schools of education are resigned to accepting academically weak students and have a limited definition of good teaching. A narrow view of the teacher's role is also cited, as well as teacher educators' resistance to change. The…

Results of an open-ended, five-question inquiry sent to sample members of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) are presented and discussed. The questionnaire sought to probe into how AACTE members feel about the concept of an extended or five-year program for preparing prospective teachers. Questions concerned: (1)…

Part of a series of position papers prepared by the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), this pamphlet considers the need for extended teacher education programs. Seven alternative models of extended teacher preparation programs are described: (1) four-plus-one (B.A.); (2) four-plus-one (internship); (3) five-year (B.A.…

Rapid social and demographic changes will have an impact on the future training of teachers. The emergence of an unmotivated urban student population from families who undervalue education will pose increasing problems for teachers. While teachers' knowledge of subject matter is essential, insights into the ecology of the classroom, the nature of…