High-quality care in the earliest years of life has been shown to relate to positive developmental outcomes for children, including improved early academic skills, social-emotional competencies, and cognitive functioning. Unfortunately, the early care experiences of many children are not always high quality; rather, research suggests that…

This final report describes a staff development project designed to provide for the effective and statewide dissemination of significant current or previous Section 353 special demonstration projects in Pennsylvania. A panel of 8 literacy experts reviewed 65 special projects funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Education's Bureau of Adult…

A study of data on 6,846 adult literacy education students in Pennsylvania gathered information on student characteristics, instructional settings, teaching methods, and program and policy needs. Results indicate that about 34% of the students were Hispanic, 31% were Indochinese, and 21% were from Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union.…

The Focus on Networking project was undertaken to identify significant Adult Education Act Section 353 demonstration projects produced by Pennsylvania project directors and adult basic and literacy education (ABLE) practitioners nationwide and to publish a newsletter to disseminate information about those projects. A panel of 6 literacy experts…

Beginning in 1983, three educational reforms were undertaken in Pennsylvania to revise high school graduation requirements, test for remedial needs, and set higher standards for teachers and administrators. Revision of graduation requirements involved state and local education officials, professional organizations, and the state legislature. New…

A project was undertaken to develop an inservice staff development program for vocational teachers working with disadvantaged students in local school districts in Pennsylvania. The focus of the inservice activity was on the improvement of instructional approaches such as individualized instruction, teaching and reteaching, small group…

The narrative report in this document describes the design and development of an adult basic education staff handbook and its evaluation by 35 respondents. The handbook contains brief articles organized in seven sections: (1) background for the adult educator (teacher role, adult education history, programs of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Adult…

This handbook is an introduction to the topics that adult basic and literacy education (ABLE) program administrators need to know. The 77 articles by various authors are divided into 6 sections. "A Background for the ABLE Program Administrator" covers the definition of a program administrator, a guiding philosophy, a brief history of…

This document contains descriptions of 55 adult education experimental demonstration projects and 18 adult education staff development projects conducted in Pennsylvania in fiscal year 1991. The projects are funded through Section 353 of the Adult Education Act of 1988. Each description includes a project number, project costs, contact person with…

This document contains descriptions of 66 adult education experimental demonstration projects and 18 adult education staff development projects conducted in Pennsylvania in fiscal year 1992. The projects are funded through Section 353 of the Adult Education Act of 1988. Each description includes a project number, project costs, contact person with…

Progress toward four stated objectives in a K-12 career education project was determined after examining the field testing results of students, interviews, and data analysis. Satisfactory progress was made toward objective 1: revising, expanding, and refining two computer retrieval career education units. On a developer questionnaire teachers…

A project was conducted to determine the need for and to create a distance learning-based staff development program for adult literacy instructors throughout Pennsylvania. Each of Pennsylvania's 306 adult literacy programs was sent a survey regarding their staff members' access to and knowledge about distance learning technology. Of the 100…

A study was conducted to determine the state of the art in vocational education programming for disadvantaged in Pennsylvania and the nation, and to develop materials to improve vocational programs for the disadvantaged. Project efforts focused on programs serving the academically/economically disadvantaged in regular classes, special classes, and…