This paper presents an analysis of a California state mandated effort to reduce dropout rates. In particular, the analysis looks at which program components and strategies are successful in increasing school holding power and what organizational and administrative factors are linked to the decision to actually implement the program as designed.…

This guide describes the implementation of vocational instructor training in California community colleges. Covered in a background section are the following topics: the federal program in bilingual vocational education, bilingual vocational instructor training, the goals and methods of bilingual vocational education, and bilingual vocational…

In response to the problems caused by categorical funding for services to children and families, the National Commission on Children recommended a series of changes in the organization, administration, and implementation of programs at all levels of government, to encourage a more collaborative and comprehensive service delivery system, including…

Examines the long-time commitment and involvement of a university and a local chapter of Phi Delta Kappa to encourage and recognize character education in local schools. Describes a public awards ceremony and includes the criteria for the values and character recognition award. Provides a list of the winning schools. (MJP)

Examined interventions and strategies used by Chapter 1 Program Improvement (PI) schools to improve academic program and Chapter 1 services. Site visits to 15 California elementary and middle schools show that schools engaged in change have common elements: strong leadership, quality core curriculum, school autonomy, district support, and parent…

To address the shortage of special education teachers, California State University (CSU), Chico in collaboration with rural, isolated school districts in CSU's service area, designed a two-year, on-the-job training program that recruited, prepared, and supported new special education teachers. Candidates, selected collaboratively by the University…

Reducing school energy costs can increase the discretionary dollars available in the school budget. The first part of this guide introduces the key elements of an effective energy management program. Through an evaluation of nearly 150 California school district programs and a detailed review of 22 exemplary programs, the 12 following elements…

This advisory for superintendents on the California Mentor Teacher Program provides background information, discusses issues in initial program planning, describes the state department of education's role and upcoming activities in program implementation, and gives information on funding for the program. The background section describes the…

California's state plan for homeless education is submitted in compliance with the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act of 1987. The plan includes a preface, an introduction, five sections, and six appendices. The introduction presents the following information: (1) the mandate of Title VII, Subtitle B of the McKinney Act; (2) definitions…

Designed as the first in a proposed set of three documents to be used to review elementary school programs in California, this guide describes the quality criteria used to judge program effectiveness for students. Criteria for a quality school program are provided in 13 areas: reading; written language; school effectiveness; special needs; oral…

Explores and contrasts early efforts to set standards in mathematics and social studies, juxtaposing California's revisions of its history and social science curricula and the standard-setting approach of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Both programs achieved success in part because of their development strategies. (SLD)

This descriptive study investigated the benefits and costs of using electronic portfolios (EPs) in preservice teacher education by examining the voices of students in six programs thought to be mature in their implementation. Benefits included opportunities to reflect, better access to and organization of professional documents, increased…

This paper describes a collaborative effort aimed at province-wide dissemination and implementation of pivotal response treatment (PRT) for young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Nova Scotia, Canada. Three critical components of the associated training model are described: (1) direct training of treatment teams (parents, one-to-one…

Provisions related to achieving sex equity in vocational education appear throughout the Carl D. Perkins Act. The most innovative are the Title IIA set-asides for single parents and homemakers and sex equity program. The California State Plan for Vocational Education assigns the responsibilities of the Sex Equity Coordinator to the Sex Equity…

The Career Skills Enhancement Program (CSEP) was a National Workplace Literacy Program offered to Santa Clara County (California) Office of Education (COE) employees. A job skills study involved personal interviews, job shadowing, and examination of job descriptions and materials used by employees. Based on the study and initial needs assessment,…