In order to determine the effectiveness of vocational education programs in the California secondary schools and regional occupational centers and programs (ROC/P), a survey was taken of a random selection of 1,164 high school programs and 500 programs of ROC/P. Data were gathered through program self-assessment questionnaires and analyzed into…

The Wisconsin Foundation for Vocational, Technical, and Adult Education is currently involved in the development, implementation, and distribution of a sophisticated interactive computer and video learning system. Designed to offer trainees an open entry and open exit opportunity to pace themselves through a comprehensive competency-based,…

Both district and state-level programs have been implemented in the state of California to facilitate the coordination between CETA (Comprehensive Employment and Training Act) and vocational education. The Grossmont Union High School District established the Director of Grants and Contracts/School Improvement position to develop an internal…

A recent survey of state directors of adult education reveals that 31 states include distance learning as either a current initiative, or in a future plan, to provide education delivery to adult learners. Distance learning modes employ technology in four categories: computer, video, audiographic, and telephone. Distance learning for adult learners…

Recognizing the importance of providing high-quality preschool education for helping to ensure children's future educational success, this document presents guidelines for what constitutes high-quality programming across a broad spectrum of curriculum and practice for California preschools, taking into account the state's move toward higher…

Legislative and programmatic efforts to improve teacher quality have become a major focus of state policymaking in recent years. States have employed numerous strategies in response to concerns about the preparation, quantity, and capacity of the teacher workforce. In this chapter, the authors introduce conceptual frameworks for understanding…

A study was done of how Chapter 1 remedial educational services are being provided to private sectarian school students. Federal court ruling had determined that sectarian schools could not receive such funds directly, but that public schools must provide the services to students in sectarian schools. As a consequence, local public schools have…

State and county initiatives in California have sparked a movement for integration of social services. The practical lessons learned by communities integrating services for children and families were studied and are presented in this report. The study draws on the experiences of seven California communities (Fresno County, Los Angeles County,…

This report provides a brief summary of the major findings and recommendations derived from an extensive study of educational technology programs funded by the State of California since 1984 under two legislative acts, AB 803 and AB 1470. An independent evaluation of educational technology programs required by AB 1470 was conducted by The Far West…

The report documents the first stage of an 18-month study to determine the effectiveness of existing California legislation for identification of 3- to 5-year old children with special needs. Local service sites (N=112) responded to a questionnaire which addressed implementation of eligibility criteria at local sites, improvement of the…

This report contains the final products of the Student Services Program Review Project (SSPRP), which was designed to develop evaluation models to measure the efficacy of the various student services programs provided by the California community colleges. The first sections of the report offer introductory information on the goals and activities…

The Demonstration Programs in Reading and Mathematics were initiated in California in an effort to improve the reading and mathematics performance of secondary school students from neighborhoods characterized by high poverty levels, transiency, and low test scores. The programs have operated in California schools for the past 11 years. Each…

Several trends have come together to intensify interest in how public libraries might best support the interests and needs of youth in their communities. This study reports on findings from the Public Libraries as Partners in Youth Development (PLPYD) Initiative, a four-year, nine-site initiative funded by the Wallace Foundation to develop…

Home visiting programs provide support services to families in their own homes, touching on social services, education, mental health, nutrition, health, or general welfare concerns. Twenty home visiting programs in California were surveyed to determine standards, best practices, areas needing improvement, and to develop training and support…

A study evaluated the impact of the reorganization of the academic Sepulveda (California) Veterans' Administration medical center toward primary and ambulatory care. Surveys of several thousand patients were linked to computerized utilization and mortality data and related to the center's strategic plan and goals. Substantial improvement in…