This research examined the funding request process whereby higher education institutions seek financial support from state government. The study tested whether a model based on state goals and priorities for higher education could distinguish a funded request from an unfunded request. The research was qualitative and followed a comparative case…

State and local educators encountered both opportunities and obstacles in their first year of implementing the School Improvement Grants (SIGs) funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). In 2009, the ARRA, better known as the economic stimulus package, provided $3 billion for SIGs to help reform persistently low-achieving…

The purpose of this evaluation of Scholastic's "System 44" conducted by RMC Research was to expand the existing research on students with learning disabilities by conducting a randomized study of struggling readers with approximately half of the sample comprised of students with learning disabilities. Specifically, this evaluation…

This article represents a study in two parts, conducted by two researchers who were interested in learning about the level of implementation of Professional Learning Community (PLC) principles at six high schools. The researchers asked the basic questions: What is being learned about the early days of transition to a PLC? What are the changes that…

This paper explores the Kalamazoo Promise through the lens of the existing literature on other privately funded scholarships programs and the broader advancement knowledge base. The author concludes that current research does not adequately explain the Promise, and suggests a conceptual model--a logic model--to be used in philanthropy evaluation.

Charter school administrators weathered start-up woes, among them challenging students with unmet needs, verbal assaults, dwindling student enrollment, and a first-year budget deficit exceeding $200,000 to implement a reading improvement strategy that holds promise for helping at-risk students read better, a point particularly underscored…

In the fall of 2000, when a mandatory laptop program was initiated at a Midwest regional university, a faculty research team began a longitudinal study to determine student perceptions of the value of the program. Value was defined as usefulness of the computer, reasonable price for the computer and the quality of the computer. A survey of 1,000…

Analysis of data from 270 families participating in Michigan's "Early On" (Part H of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) program suggests two paths for empowering families: (1) implementation of program components via a family-centered framework or (2) family-centered delivery to build a family support network. (Author/DB)

The Michigan Education Assessment Program (MEAP) has developed both formal and informal reading assessments reflecting current reading theory. A test development committee created a MEAP blueprint of four elements: constructing meaning, knowledge about reading, attitudes and self-perceptions, and topic familiarity. Includes two references. (MLH)

This handbook describes how apprenticeship programs may be developed and established in a correctional institution. Advantages and disadvantages of an apprenticeship, Michigan State policy, and definitions of terms are presented in the first three sections. The various steps in development and implementation of an apprenticeship program are…

Presents a case study detailing how paraprofessionals, acting as lunchroom supervisors, have been trained to utilize behavior management techniques to effectively reduce the incidence of disruptive behavior. (Author)

Presents case studies of two family literacy programs in Michigan, showing how they adapt their programs to their participants' special needs. Discusses four critical and comprehensive factors revealed in the study (participation, curriculum, staff and administration, and fundraising) that need to be considered when designing effective family…

Two schools in Michigan received ARRA SIG (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act School Improvement Grants) funds to enable them to implement their improvement efforts. This paper describes the outcomes of these two ARRA SIG recipient schools: (1) Phoenix Elementary-Middle School; and (2) Arthur Hill High School. The experiences of these…

Analyzes the experiences of three midsize Michigan school districts in implementing school desegregation programs under the Emergency School Aid Act (ESAA). Concludes that effective implementation requires clear goals and objectives, committed leadership, community support, and on-going political support. (FMW)

The Division of Student Affairs at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor engaged in an iterative strategic process to create and implement a set of long-range goals. This strategic journey continues to evolve, uniting a guiding framework of strategic planning steps, a reflective process with an assessment component within each step, and a group…