Out-of-school time (OST) initiatives, defined as programs that operate in and out of school settings, serve young people, their families, and the communities around them. These initiatives are often created to close opportunity gaps that can exist for at-risk students and to meet the needs of previously assessed concerns for communities. For the…

All individuals go through a process of change when implementing a new innovation. This descriptive study determines there is a difference in the stages of concern regarding Response to Instruction and Intervention (RTI), Tennessee's design model for Response to Intervention, (RTI) for 87 teachers from 8 different schools in a county in Middle…

All individuals go through a process of change when implementing a new innovation. This descriptive study determines there is a difference in the stages of concern regarding Response to Instruction and Intervention (RTI 2), Tennessee's design model for Response to Intervention, (RTI) for 87 teachers from 8 different schools in a county in Middle…

This paper examines the key aspects of stakeholder engagement that can strengthen the design, implementation and sustainability of outcomes-based funding policies. We seek to help policymakers understand the prevailing starting-point attitudes of institutional stakeholders, primarily college and university administrators, faculty and staff, and…

Implementation of college- and career-readiness standards is some of the most important work currently underway in states to improve student achievement and public education overall. SREB examined the efforts of 14 states--including 11 SREB states--to support implementation of new college- and career-readiness standards. The goal of the research…

Implementation of college- and career-readiness standards is some of the most important work currently underway in states to improve public education and student achievement. This report provides a summary of findings from SREB's research into the efforts of 15 states--12 in the Southern Educational Research Board (SREB) region--to support…

The purpose of this study was to explore the production, communication, interpretation and contestation of new physical education (PE) and physical activity (PA) policy initiatives introduced in Mississippi and Tennessee for the academic year 2006-2007. These states provide a relevant context to study such issues, since Mississippi has the highest…

Purpose/Objectives: The Direct Verification Pilot tested the feasibility, effectiveness, and costs of using Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) data to verify applications for free and reduced-price (FRP) school meals instead of obtaining documentation from parents and guardians. Methods: The Direct Verification Pilot…

University teacher education programs establish partnerships with P-12 schools, in part to place their teacher education candidates in a learning environment that allows candidates to work with a diverse population of learners. The purpose of this study was to examine three universities in regard to the partnerships utilized for field and clinical…

A long-standing accountability system in Tennessee is now subject to change.

A total of 516 teachers in 25 school systems in Middle Tennessee responded to a questionnaire relating to their attitudes about the Career Ladder Program in Tennessee. The program delineates a five-step classification system: (1) probationary teachers; (2) apprentice teachers; (3) career level I teachers; (4) career level II teachers; and (5)…

The Tennessee Career Ladder Program consists of a five-step classification system in which Level II teachers (who must have taught for 8 years) and Level III teachers (who must have taught for 12 years) are at the summit with the longest contracts and highest pay. This study surveyed 474 Level II and Level III teachers to determine the perceptions…

Valencia, Perez & Echeveste (VPE) and the Tomas Rivera Policy Institute (TRPI) designed a survey to capture Latino adults' opinions about the benefits, importance, and costs associated with enrolling children in pre-kindergarten programs. The objective of the survey was to gauge support for government-subsidized pre-kindergarten programs among…

A study investigated the rationale of and procedures for gathering data on foreign language programs in secondary schools in Tennessee. The study transcends previous foreign language surveys by suggesting a method of presenting data in a useful format by analyzing foreign language support (FLSPT) in terms of quantifiable factors or "favorable…

The purpose of this study was to establish a model for the evaluation of the quality of vocational education programs in Tennessee. A definition of educational quality was developed from a literature search and from a survey of teacher-educators and supervisory personnel. Principals of 54 secondary schools identified as having vocational education…