The human brain develops rapidly in the first five years of life. High-quality early learning experiences can have a profound and lasting positive effect on young children during these years, setting the stage for success in kindergarten and beyond. This is especially true for young children with high needs who are from low-income families; who…

All students, including students with disabilities, must be included in state accountability systems as required by law. In April 2007, federal regulations provided states the flexibility to offer another assessment option--an Alternate Assessment based on Modified Achievement Standards (AA-MAS) for some students with disabilities. The AA-MAS is…

In April 2007, Federal No Child Left Behind regulations were finalized that provided states with additional flexibility for assessing some students with disabilities. The regulations allowed states to offer another assessment option, alternate assessments based on modified academic achievement standards (AA-MAS). States are not required to have…

North Carolina's approach and philosophy concerning K-3 programs are described. Information is provided on the following topics: (1) early childhood education (K-3) background; (2) State Board of Education objectives for kindergarten-early childhood education centers; (3) the reasons for kindergartens; (4) major trends in early childhood…

Describes the development and testing of the North Carolina minimal competency testing program. (IRT)

A description of the Occupational Exploration program implemented in North Carolina in 1970 for grades 7 through 9 is presented. The Environmental Laboratory, which includes the Agribusiness and Natural Resources Occupational cluster, is emphasized. (LH)

This biennial report outlines many of the steps taken to improve North Carolina's system of public schools. It also outlines what actions are needed to continue the progress. Although the state has experienced rising SAT scores and a decreasing dropout rate, several challenges remain: decrease class size, provide funds for school facilities,…

A task force comprised of members from the North Carolina State Education Agency has developed a statewide plan for career education, which is outlined. Seven sections present: (1) objectives, task force background, and personnel; (2) a summary of information on North Carolina school programs; (3) a definition of career education encompassing the…

This is one of several reports used to monitor the public-school system in North Carolina. This report has three purposes: (1) to assist policymakers in gauging the status and progress of student achievement in the state; (2) to compare student achievement in North Carolina with student achievement nationwide; and (3) to inform the public of the…

To complement the information gathered on middle school and high school literacy initiatives as reported in "Middle and High School Literacy across the Curriculum" (Task 1.2 Fast Response Project), the Regional Educational Laboratory Southeast (REL-SE) staff conducted a scan of the six southeast states to gather the following information…

This state assessment at the third-grade level is the first stage of a proposed three-year evaluation cycle of third, sixth, and ninth grades in North Carolina to aid personnel in making accurate decisions regarding improvement in the social studies curriculum. Students were randomly selected to represent the third-grade population in the state…

The North Carolina Environmental Education Plan evolved from the ideas and suggestions of hundreds of people across North Carolina with over 1,300 individuals, businesses, organizations, and government agencies participating in the process. The first section of this document, Principles and Concepts of Environmental Education, outlines the…

In North Carolina, work force development education (WDE) begins in grade 6 with exploratory courses and leads to specialized classroom instruction in grades 11 and 12. Since 1992-1993, North Carolina's WDE programs have been evaluated with respect to eight long-range performance standards. Only in the case of standard 1 (all students will have…

Rules and regulations governing education of the gifted in North Carolina precede an outline of screening and identification procedures. The question of ability grouping is explored through a review of eight research studies and articles. Questions and answers are used to present information on the gifted to parents, and the selection of teachers,…

This statewide revised Standard Course of Study, mandated by North Carolina's Elementary and Secondary School Reform Act of 1984, provides a detailed, integrated curriculum plan for all subjects at all grade levels. An initial section provides an introduction ("Notes") to the users of the "North Carolina Competency-Based…