This manual is designed to help advocates, including parents, obtain special education for children with disabilities residing in New Jersey. It explains the requirements of the federal statute governing special education--the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)--and the federal regulations implementing IDEA, as well as the state…

This guidebook is intended for use by charter school planning groups as they prepare their applications to create a charter school in Colorado. It is also intended to guide charter school groups that have already implemented a program. It covers essential components of the charter school application and includes examples from existing charters.…

Over the past few years, charter schools have received dramatic popular support. An overview of charter schools, including the arguments of their supporters and critics, is presented in this report. The text presents assumptions about the charter movement and discusses their strengths and weaknesses through a research-based synthesis. Advocates of…

This workbook is part of a series devoted to all areas of charter-school development. The third of five workbooks, it focuses on assessment and accountability and examines such issues as academic accountability, fiscal accountability, public/parental accountability, rule compliance, assessment and evaluation, financial management, developing a…

This workbook is part of a series devoted to all areas of charter-school development. Fourth in the series, this volume focuses on governance and management, with an emphasis on creating an organizational structure, establishing strong leadership, handling personnel issues, creating a board and board bylaws, managing growth, and dealing with…

Risks are taken in establishing alternative school programs but they can be minimized by giving the proper attention to several critical factors. (Author)

This report is a general guide for people planning a charter school. In September 1995 the Program on Reinventing Public Education, a collaborative effort of the University of Washington's Institute for Public Policy and Management and the RAND Institute for Education and Training, sponsored a workshop on charter school startup. This report…

This fastback document explores ways to develop alternative high-school programs to help at-risk students. It focuses on the "school within a school" model where the emphasis is on a caring school climate and smaller class sizes. The booklet offers a step-by-step guide for developing an alternative school, which begins with determining the need…

This workbook is the first in a series devoted to all areas of charter-school development. It addresses the logistics of starting a school, such as drafting a charter, creating a vision and mission, accessing expert information, navigating the application process, acquiring a facility, establishing a legal entity, and contracting for services. The…

This workbook is part of a series devoted to all areas of charter-school development. Fifth in the series, this volume focuses on community relations and how school founders can handle public relations, market their school, and deal with controversy. The text is divided into three sections. Section one examines why schools should engage in public…

This paper discusses the instruction of adult performance outcomes and life skills in classes for students with mental disabilities. Basic considerations in teaching life skills include teaching for lifelong learning, teaching for relevancy, and teaching beyond textbooks and classrooms. Several strategies have contributed to the success of…

Research has shown mentoring to be a powerful alternative education and dropout prevention strategy for students at risk. This book is designed to help teachers, school administrators, case managers in the juvenile justice system, and others who work with at-risk students develop mentoring programs. Chapter 1, "Teachers Can Restructure Education…

This workbook is part of a series devoted to all areas of charter-school development. The second of the series, this volume focuses on regulatory issues, such as special-education requirements, civil-rights regulations, federal and state laws and regulations, and requirements for parent involvement. The text is divided into four sections. Chapter…

Outcomes of a series of meetings held in 1990 by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) Roundtable on Public School Choice are summarized in this document's six chapters. Chapter 1 discusses the components (including motivations, vision formation, leadership, the design process, and the types of choice available) involved in…

This report discusses strategies that will help charter schools finance their facilities needs. It outlines the history of the Colorado Charter Schools Act, focusing on the contracting process, on dispute resolution and appeals, on renewal, on employee options, and on revenue allocation. The document also examines issues surrounding school…