"Fostering Youth Transitions 2023: State and National Data to Drive Foster Care Advocacy" is a unique compilation of data designed to inform federal and state policy efforts aimed at making a difference for young people in foster care. This overview brief and detailed profiles of the latest available data from all 50 states, along with…

School accountability is subject to considerable scrutiny. It generates sharp political debate, policy challenges, and continuous discussion. Growth models are now a part of that discussion. To many practitioners the sheer volume of "important to know" information is daunting. The members of the Technical Issues in Large Scale Assessment…

This report is designed to inform policymakers and educators about the current status of key education policies across the 50 states that define and shape elementary and secondary education in public schools. Time and attendance policies cover length of school year, date for start of school, length of school day, year-round school, kindergarten…

Because of continued concern about school violence, this policy brief examines the trends in school violence in the context of social violence, describes efforts to make schools safe, and reports efforts to curb violence in the four-state Appalachian region (Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia). Perceptions of the extent of school…

A study examined the activity of the state technical committees that were mandated by the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act. The study's main objectives were to identify (1) the methods that individual state technical committees used to develop and verify task lists and/or skill inventories; (2) the different reasons for selecting the job…

Tabulates each state's minimum competency activities, indicating who mandated the action (state legislature/state board of education), who set the standards (local/state), which areas are tested (math/language arts/other), which tests are used (local/state/commercial), and use of the data (high school graduation/grade promotion/remedial…

South Carolina's Education Improvement Act of 1984 is motivating, innovative, challenging, and satisfying. The law is motivating to the citizens of South Carolina because it promises increased student academic achievement, better services to special groups of students and school personnel, improved school conditions, extensive community…

Agricultural education projects of 23 state action groups and 4 national organizations are described in this directory intended for agricultural educators. Names and addresses of contact points for further information are included. (DC)

This report summarizes results of a survey of states, teacher centers, and professional organizations on the status of teacher inservice and staff development. The 43 states and the District of Columbia that responded to the survey have a state level plan for both inservice and professional development. Some, by law, require implementation of the…

Serving as a bridge between research in the cognitive sciences and educational policymakers and practitioners, the first part of this report reviews recent research on thinking and learning. Findings emphasize work on higher order learning, the role of knowledge in learning, and the development of a disposition for thinking. Topics detailed…

States should take an active and direct role in education reform: supporting school reform efforts, providing technical assistance, defining and controlling educational content, and assessing the outcomes of education. (MLF)

This document contains a tool that defines elements of whole-school improvement that school leaders can put into effect at elementary through secondary school levels. The school principal, in collaboration with other members of the school council, can use it to prepare a school portfolio and school profile for self-study or needs assessment.…

This bulletin explores the roles that various stakeholders have in systemic reform and offers some recommendations for action. Data were derived from a review of research on systemic education reform and interviews with four Oregon administrators. Chapter 1 provides a sampling of the diverse groups that are calling for reform and offers some of…

United States-based publishing firms dominate the Canadian learning materials market; their business and editorial practices suppress Canadian viewpoints and undermine Canadian publishers. Provincial and federal measures intended to strengthen domestic publishing have been adequate only in central Canada. As information technology advances,…

This guide describes various strategies that states and districts are pursuing to help turn around low-performing schools and raise expectations for all students. Strategies include helping schools gain control of the learning environment, concentrating resources and efforts on providing students with challenging curricula and high-quality…