Educational and vocational rehabilitation programs both have key roles and responsibilities in improving post-school outcomes for students with disabilities. Both entities must be involved in creating opportunities for students to develop skills and knowledge to prepare for careers in the 21st Century. To help facilitate understanding and promote…

Cities around the country are building systems that seek to make the most of public and private resources to provide widespread, high-quality, out-of-school time opportunities. Local officials are leading these efforts because participation in OST programs not only benefits young people but also the cities in which they live, with the potential to…

The school and district report cards were created by the 1999 Oregon Legislature. The legislation requires that the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) produce and issue a report card to all public schools and districts in the state. The report cards are designed to: (1) Communicate the many good things occurring in Oregon's public schools; (2)…

This document, "Book Two of Four: Planning and Developing an LDS", is the second installment of this Forum (National Forum on Education Statistics) series of guides on longitudinal data systems (LDS). This second book in the guide series delves into the planning, implementation, and evaluation phases of a longitudinal data system (LDS)…

In response to increasingly vigorous and vocal criticism of American education, the author proposes a new model for curriculum development--a double triad that would combine the traditional cooperative efforts of administrators, teachers, and school board members with involvement of the community, parents, and students. The author suggests…

The Council of Chief State School Officers' "Accommodations Manual: How to Select, Administer, and Evaluate the Use of Accommodations for Instruction and Assessment of Students with Disabilities" was first developed to establish guidelines for states to use for the selection, administration, and evaluation of accommodations for…

Out-of-school time programs can enhance academic achievement by helping students learn outside the classroom. The purpose of this practice guide is to provide recommendations for organizing and delivering school-based out-of-school time (OST) programs to improve the academic achievement of student participants. The five recommendations in this…

Public relations should be an effective two-way communications system between school and public and can be implemented in seven steps: plan the public relations program; identify school publics; assess present communications effectiveness; plan to involve students, staff, and community members; identify key message sending agents; develop and…

These guidelines for 2010-2013 relate specifically to the Partnership Brokers program. This program is part of the Australian Government's contribution to the Youth Attainment and Transitions National Partnership and will commence on 1 January 2010. These Guidelines set out the requirements for the provision of services by organisations contracted…

Orientation for first-year college students is important for students, parents, and the institution. It should fit institutional traditions, values, and culture, involve parents, be staffed by well-trained current students, and be carefully evaluated for improvement. Mississippi State University's program focuses on retention and is festive,…

The methodology of participant observation in evaluation research is described. The author cites examples of its use and includes references to additional sources of information. The characteristics of participant observation, appropriate circumstances for use, and specific techniques of this method are examined. (Author/DWH)

This guide was written to help rural elementary schools implement science teaching strategies for motivating students and to identify outside resources for strengthening science instruction. The guidebook emphasizes the need for active administrative leadership and strong teacher involvement in planning and implementing partnership activities. The…

This guide is designed as a resource for leaders and evaluators of K-12 online learning programs. In this guide, the term "online learning" is used to refer to a range of education programs and resources in the K-12 arena, including distance learning courses offered by universities, private providers, or teachers at other schools;…

It is no secret that strong parental involvement is essential for school success. Yet, it is still a challenge to get parents more involved in their children's education. According to the most recent MetLife Survey of the American Teacher, teachers and principals agree on the importance of parental involvement--71% of principals and 59% of…

This document introduces a new school accountability mechanism, the Accountability Dialogue. An Accountability Dialogue brings together educators, parents, and the larger school community to: (1) establish standards for school and student performance; (2) determine how the school is doing in relation to those standards; (3) investigate the…