The practical need for multidimensional measures of fidelity of implementation (FOI) of reform-based science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) instructional materials, combined with a theoretical need in the field for a shared conceptual framework that could support accumulating knowledge on specific enacted program elements across…

This report responds to the requirement of Public Law 110-246 to assess the effectiveness of State and local efforts to directly certify children for free school meals. Under direct certification, children are determined eligible for free school meals without the need for household applications by using data from other means-tested programs. The…

Performance funding--the linking of allocation of resources to accomplishment of certain desired outcomes--is an idea that is once again finding favor with policymakers. It has intuitive appeal; what's not to like about paying for results? While it is a notion that makes common sense to most decisionmakers, it is an idea with a very checkered…

Bullying and cyber bullying are important issues in schools, not only in the United States but in many other nations. In this article, the author recommends sites that he thinks would be helpful for teachers and schools combating bullying and cyber bullying. These recommended sites provide teacher lesson plans and other resources dealing with…

This paper provides a brief review of blended learning as a didactic method, and discusses the issues and challenges of using blended learning models in post-secondary education. Blended learning refers to mixed modes of instruction that combine traditional face-to-face classroom teaching methods and online learning materials. The paper will…

Educational leaders have faced the challenges of trying to align schoolwide reforms priorities with accountability demands under the No Child Left Behind law. This article examines the barriers that complicate meaningful alignment among federal, state and local levels. This article also offers the following recommendations: Schools and districts…

"Drama for Schools" ("DFS") is a professional development program in drama-based instruction shaped by theories of critical pedagogy and constructivism. In 2007, the Director of "DFS" invited an educational psychology faculty member to develop a research and evaluation component for the program. This article discusses…

In the United States and elsewhere, there is a dramatic shortage of engineers and technologists. And, unfortunately, these professions often suffer from a lack of awareness among K-12 students. Clearly, educators need to show students the very exciting and lucrative aspects of these fields. Engineering and technology are consistently listed by…

Volunteers from the International Reading Association (IRA) participated in the teacher education component of Macedonia's Secondary Education Activity, an initiative to reform vocational/technical education (VET), funded from 2004 to 2008 by USAID. Volunteers offered professional development to VET teachers using a trainer-of-trainers model,…

Recent legislation in Florida mandated that all school districts open at least one career academy by the 2008-2009 school-year, impacting career academy implementation dramatically. As the number of career academies in Florida increases, ensuring success requires attention to the complexities of implementation. Qualitative research conducted with…

When the National Governors Association (NGA) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) released the Common Core State Standards in June 2010, it was the culmination of a yearlong process. It resulted in what the two organizations stated was the establishment of clear and consistent goals for learning that would prepare America's…

STEM--shorthand for "science, technology, engineering, and mathematics"--has been part of the school improvement discussion for more than a decade, as educational leaders and policy makers have underscored the importance of these areas in an internationally competitive, 21st-century economy. But building and implementing programs that…

Privatization has been used to address the limited capacity of government to achieve positive results in child welfare systems. Privatized systems have not realized better outcomes than their public counterparts, however, and many states continue to struggle with implementation. In order to demonstrate that privatization is in fact an investment…

National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) were launched in the United Kingdom (excluding Scotland) in 1987 as a framework for rationalising what was described at the time as the "jungle" of existing vocational qualifications. They were never intended to be the basis for a comprehensive NQF for all qualifications; however, successive…

Purpose/Objective: The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 required all schools receiving funding for school meals to implement a Local Wellness Policy. However, there is little to no accountability related to the implementation of the policy. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the degree of implementation of…