Discusses the integration of the Internet at Eagan High School (Minnesota). Highlights include the Internet for Minnesota's Schools (InforMNs) Project; connectivity; and using the Internet in specific disciplines, including English (and history, politics, etc.), work experience, foreign language, and business law and science. A sidebar discusses…

The goal of Minnesota's Early Childhood Screening (ECS) program is to identify normal aspects of a child's health and development while sorting out potential problems that need further evaluation. In addition, all parents are linked to resources in the school and community to enhance their child's development and their own parenting skills. This…

Within the educational reform debate, there is general agreement that the development of high academic standards is an important first step toward improving academic outcomes. This report highlights the standards initiatives being implemented in Colorado, Delaware, Minnesota, and South Carolina. All four states have made substantial progress in…

This paper examines the use of telecommunications in rural schools in the United States as a solution to the problems teachers face when they have small classes, five or six class preparations daily, extracurricular duties, and inadequate training for specific classes. Telecommunications in schools in Minnesota and Kansas and a Star Schools Model…

In 1989, the Community Partnership: Child Care and Early Education was formed to examine policies and make recommendations with respect to early childhood care and education (ECCE) in Ramsey County, Minnesota. The Partnership established a Task Force to develop a long-term vision for ECCE consistent with community values and to create a blueprint…

The Office of Educational Leadership (OEL) of the Minnesota State Department of Education initiated a project to develop and examine the effects of processes designed to transform schools into structures that assure that all students learn. In September 1989, 10 Research and Development (R&D) project sites received grants from the OEL. The…

Controlled educational choice, defined as parental or student choice of educational programs within the public school system that is regulated for public purposes, has become a leading proposal for educational reform. This paper reviews evidence from three working models of choice: the Minnesota Postsecondary Enrollment Options program (PEO), the…

This document provides materials concerning the evaluation of Minnesota's Early Childhood Family Education Programs. Part I summarizes the findings and conclusions of evaluations conducted since the first six pilot programs began in 1975. Part II deals with the characteristics of successful, high quality programs and includes an instrument…

Twenty-nine years ago Minnesota Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (MLSPC) was launched at the Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota. It was one of the first prospective longitudinal studies of how parent-infant attachment develops, how it changes over time, and how the quality of attachment in infancy influences…

Since the announcement in 1999 of a plan to tie teachers' salary increases to student achievement by Denver Public Schools, there has been a flood of nationwide policy activity around teacher compensation. This paper examines pay plans in Denver, Toledo, Minneapolis, and New York City, offering a snapshot of the changing landscape of teacher…

This handbook and leadership guide for members of technical program advisory committees is a product of the Effective Advisory Committees Project conducted by the Minnesota State Board of Technical Colleges and the State Board of Education. The purpose of the project is to increase the effectiveness of the vocational advisory committees in…

The Minnesota Department of Children, Families, and Learning plans to implement the "profile of learning" plan in 3 phases over 3 years beginning in the 1996-97 school year. This information brief contains a chart that depicts the profile of learning and highlights each of its elements. The profile of learning is composed of 10 broadly…

The Minnesota Legislature directed the Minnesota State Board of Education to set in rule the content and performance standards that public high school students must achieve in order to graduate. This information brief describes the history and current status of the High School Graduation Rule for public school students in Minnesota. The state's…

A statewide needs assessment project was designed to identify the continuing education needs of Minnesota peace officers. Phase one measured perceptions of law enforcement administrators or training officers. The needs assessment committee conducted a literature review to identify items for the survey instrument and weighting formulas. A survey…

A large and growing body of research supports the critical relationship between early childhood experiences and successful life-long outcomes. Assessing the readiness of children as they enter school is a high priority. This report describes findings from Year Two of the assessment of school readiness with a larger random sample of children…