By August 1 of each year, each charter school in New York State is required by law to complete and submit an Annual Report to the New York State Education Department's (NYSED) Charter School Office and to the school's charter entity, and to post the report on the charter school's website. The Annual Report Guidelines include general instructions…

This program profile describes recent changes to the process for preparing graduate teaching instructors (GTAs) in North Carolina State University's first-year writing program. The authors--one a nontenure-track faculty member and the other a tenure-track faculty member--describe the philosophical, ethical, and practical concerns in scaling…

This article offers a variety of strategies for pre-service and beginning teachers to utilize in order to create positive and effective relationships with families that are built on clear communication and trust. It is crucial for new and veteran teachers to understand the importance of successful communication with parents and families of…

In 2014, a new General Education Development (GED) assessment will be implemented. The new, more rigorous test will be aligned with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and will use a new test delivery model-computer-based testing (CBT) to replace the paper-and-pencil examination. These two changes have important implications for correctional…

For veteran principals, new principals, and aspiring principals, this book is a valuable resource for building instructional momentum during the beginning of the school year. Educational leadership expert Shawn Joseph guides administrators through five key areas: (1) Vision; (2) Instructional Leadership; (3) Politics; (4) Data; and (5) Planning.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) annually publishes an immunization schedule for persons aged 0 through 18 years that summarizes recommendations for currently licensed vaccines for children aged 18 years and younger and includes recommendations in effect as of December 15, 2009. The changes to the previous schedule are…

It is estimated that there are over one million K-12 enrollments in online courses across the country. The number of online courses and providers continues to grow at a steady rate each year (a staggering 30% annually), providing scores of options for today's students. With all of the benefits that online learning provides to students and their…

This system for checking that library books are shelved correctly was developed at the New Ulm (Minnesota) Public Library where a 68,000-volume collection is checked every three months by four part-time teenage pages. Seven steps in the procedure are outlined, and sample schedules and monitor sheets are included. (MES)

The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) Practice Guide, "Effective Literacy and English Language Instruction for English Learners in the Elementary Grades" addresses the challenge of providing effective literacy instruction for English learners in the elementary grades. The Guide offers five specific recommendations for district…

Describes how Suffern (New York) High School creates its master class schedule using a computer-generated "conflict matrix" that shows the enrollment for each course and the number of students who would experience scheduling conflicts if any two courses were offered at the same time. (Author/RW)

The small Lone Star school district in Otis (Colorado) developed a year-long process for creating its master course schedule. The scheduling process includes a needs assessment, a curriculum scheduling committee of teachers and students, a trial run of the schedule, and board approval of the master schedule. (RW)

The preventive maintenance program for Oakland (California) public schools has full-time traveling teams of carpenters, painters, and a plumber, augmented by electricians and glaziers. Scheduled visits are made to every site twice a year. (Author/MLF)

Discusses how to plan for successful author or illustrator visits to school libraries. Topics addressed include preparing students by acquainting them with the visitor's works; how to contact authors or illustrators; written letters of confirmation; arranging for copies of books for autographing; scheduling; and follow-up. (LRW)

The multiple pathways approach holds significant promise for engaging California high school students and improving their ability to achieve their dreams. While hundreds of schools have already adopted the multiple pathways approach, much remains to be done to put more students on the path to success. Pathways must be designed around rigorous…

The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) Practice Guide, "Effective Literacy and English Language Instruction for English Learners in the Elementary Grades" addresses the challenge of providing effective literacy instruction for English learners in the elementary grades. The Guide offers five specific recommendations for district…