Career-connected learning is an educational strategy that combines high-quality academic instruction, skill-based learning, and real-world experiences to prepare students with the knowledge and skills that they need to pursue their career goals. Career-connected learning is especially important for an often-overlooked group of students including…

Mental health and well-being significantly impact students' academic performance, social interactions, and school engagement. Partnering with communities can enhance the effectiveness and reach of mental health initiatives and supports within educational settings. By collaborating with community organizations and agencies, schools can augment…

A leadership academy is a formal professional learning opportunity for current school leaders, focused on augmenting knowledge and skills, increasing specialization, and refreshing leadership practices. States interested in supporting leadership academies through federal or other funding sources can look to current models of leadership academies…

"The Mentoring Toolkit 2.0: Resources for Developing Programs for Incarcerated Youth" provides information, program descriptions, and links to important resources that can assist juvenile correctional facilities and other organizations to design effective mentoring programs for neglected and delinquent youth, particularly those who are…

The Accelerated Learning Work Group's introductory Guide to Accelerated Learning offers descriptions, resources, and examples of state education agencies implementing Accelerated Learning into their programs. It also answers questions, such as: (1) How should Accelerated Learning be implemented?; (2) How are educators best supported during…

This guidebook provides an introduction to Instructional Improvement Systems (IIS) for State education agency (SEA) managers and program leads. Functional components of a theoretical IIS model are discussed and used as a reference point for the introduction a seven-step planning and implementation cycle designed to guide SEAs in the development of…

This guide aims to help states look beyond the major sources of child care and early education funding and consider alternative federal financing sources to bring comprehensive services into early childhood settings. Why? Because the sources of child care funding historically available to states have limited supply and allowable uses, and…

The Adult Education Coordination and Planning (AECAP) guide is designed to assist state adult education staff in forming partnerships at the state level and facilitating coordination at the local level as a lever for expanding and improving the quality of adult basic education (ABE) and workforce development services. Coordination plays a critical…

This document is intended to provide Arizona schools with a framework for literature curriculum design, and to support the good teaching already taking place. The document is in ten sections: (1) Philosophy; (2) Goals of a Literature Program; (3) What's Essential: Elements of a Literature Program; (4) Teaching Literature; (5) Effective…

The manual on work experience programs for special education students focuses on issues of program development and enhancement of existing services. Developed by an Arizona state task force, the manual begins with a rationale to students, employers, and the community. A model conceptualizes the career development process as it relates to…

The Arizona Social Studies Framework formulates goals for student competency in four broad categories: knowledge and cultural understanding; understanding of democratic principles; individual and group participation in social political affairs; and fundamental skill attainment for effective citizenship. Under each social studies goal are listed…

This handbook offers school districts a suggested framework for planning the implementation of a sex education program with minimal funds, using existing teachers, and building on existing support among parents, students, faculty, and administrators. In the first section of the guide, the planning and implementation process is briefly described,…

Argues there is a problem with how California local school boards and district administration interpret curriculum and instruction in terms of their role in the evaluation of schools, teachers, and students. Notes that the California Teachers Association proposed legislation that would allow teachers to negotiate their role in decision-making…

This implementation guide is designed to be used by schools and school districts that wish to implement the "Career Pathways" program in their schools. The guide includes three sections. Section one provides an introduction to the "Career Pathways" system, including information on the program's philosophy and benefits. Section…

This guide was developed to help school teachers and administrators in Arizona to create work-based learning experiences and to serve as a reference for implementing work-based learning activities. The book offers step-by-step guidelines and sample forms from Arizona and across the United States as well as ideas for program improvement and legal…