Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) invited 10 districts to participate in a community of practice designed to increase understanding of how to braid and blend federal funds. District teams composed of principals, superintendents, business managers, and other district leaders participated in four 90-minute virtual sessions. The purpose of…

Student-Based Budgeting (SBB)--also called weighted student funding, fair student funding, student-based allocations, or student-centered funding--is a school funding system where schools receive dollars based on the number of enrolled students and their individual needs (such as English language learners, or students from high-poverty…

In November 2014, with broad bipartisan support, Congress reauthorized CCDBG [Child Care and Development Block Grant] (the major federal child care program) for the first time since 1996. The new law strengthens CCDBG's dual role as a major early childhood education program and a work support for low-income families. This implementation guide is…

Adults with developmental disabilities are at significant risk for health problems. Effective health promotion can improve outcomes--and that's why adult day and residential agencies, schools, and other organizations need this invaluable program development guide. An urgent call to action and a start-to-finish framework for health promotion, this…

Research continues to support the many teaching and learning benefits of one-to-one laptop learning. Benefits range from improved student engagement and teacher-student interactions to the attainment of 21st century skills and the transformation of teacher practice. Additional benefits include improved student writing skills, increased teacher…

Based on ideas and suggestions shared at many workshops run by the Community Resource Centre Training Project, this guide presents information on and guidelines for developing a community resource center for use by persons who want to start a resource center but don't know how to go about it. Written in response to the desperate need for access to…

This resource handbook is a companion volume to five local handbooks developed to support specialized implementation of the National Career Development Guidelines in elementary schools, middle and junior high schools, high schools, post-secondary institutions, and business organizations. It can be used by state-level staff including directors and…

This resource and planning guide on comprehensive alcohol and drug abuse programs was developed by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Section 1 of the guide presents an overview of alcohol and other drug abuse (AODA), discussing the problem and the solution. Section 2 describes how to implement programs from the initial planning…

Solid waste management ranks third after schools and roads in most municipal budgets in the United States. Maximizing the separation of recyclable materials that can be reused may offer the highest priority and best use of our waste and should receive high priority in a solid waste management plan. This manual deals with the recycling of material…

Designed to provide information on child care options for children with special needs, this manual discusses the criteria necessary to implement services. Section 1 answers questions regarding referrals, resources, and benefits for the disabled child and family, as well as for child care providers and agency staff. Section 2 addresses seven action…

This guide is a product of a study conducted as part of a broader effort by the Department of Education to identify the causes of rising college costs and find and disseminate ways to contain these costs. In institutions of higher education most costs are manageable and can be contained without jeopardizing key services. This can be achieved by…

Intended for community leaders (public and private) and also for correctional leaders, this resource guide outlines the design of a model community-operated program to provide comprehensive services for the employment and training of ex-offenders. An introduction provides historical perspective and discusses the relationship between crime and…

Based on the experiences of teachers of adult continuing education, this manual was developed to introduce adult educators to the field and the practice of adult education, especially in universities. The book is organized in seven chapters, each containing practical material along with observations of the adult educators. The introductory chapter…

This handbook provides ideas for Pennsylvania school districts attempting to get parents more involved in school programs. There are five sections. The first describes the importance of parent involvement and defines such involvement as "meaningful partnerships between parents and school which demonstrate commitment to improving student…

The conceptual focus of this study centers on a key aspect of improved schooling: the development of sophisticated thinkers in the K-12 sequence of education. The document is organized into four major sections. The first section describes how the theoretical bases of a thinking skills program are developed and rooted in the literature. In section…