A well-known authority on teacher induction programs offers the most comprehensive, up-to-date review of all recent research on the effectiveness of mentoring and induction support for new teachers. Michael Strong provides a revealing analysis of teacher induction programs and their consequences for education, teacher quality, teacher…

REL Appalachia conducted a systematic review of the research evidence on the effects of increased learning time. After screening more than 7,000 studies, REL Appalachia identified 30 that met the most rigorous standards for research. A review of those 30 studies found that increased learning time does not always produce positive results. However,…

The effects of the School Development Program (SDP) of James Comer on a variety of student outcomes are reviewed in this summary of previous evaluations in SDP schools. Assessments of the quality of SDP implementation in schools in New York (New York), Washington (District of Columbia), and New Haven (Connecticut) are considered. (SLD)

The literature on the evaluation of curriculum development reveals several characteristics of curriculum planning and implementation processes that are likely to facilitate change. Part 1 of this two-part report presents the results of an analysis of 34 documents, available through the ERIC system, on curricular development. Each of several…

Case studies of five urban high schools illustrate some important factors that appear to be crucial in determining whether or not reform efforts are implemented. Among these factors are the following: (1) teacher participation; (2) collegiality among staff members; (3) shared belief that change can occur; (4) leadership by the principal; (5)…

Summarizes research on instruction-related practices and policies and their implementation in effective urban schools. Discusses outcomes-based instruction, effective organizational arrangements for low achievers, instructional coordination, avoidance of overemphasis on lower order skills, operationalization of shared values, "organic"…

A discussion of foreign languages in the elementary school (FLES) begins with a brief history of the program's emergence and status in the United States, a summary of the rationale for early language study, and descriptions of the major FLES program types. An Ohio survey of elementary school foreign language instruction is reported, and the…

Emerging Literacy Technology Curriculum (ELiTeC 2, [referred to as E2 in this report]), housed at the Center for Best Practices in Early Childhood at Western Illinois University, was funded in 2000 by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) as a 3-year Phase 3 Steppingstones of Technology Research on…

This analysis discusses 5 elementary schools in the District of Columbia that have demonstrated significant educational improvements in less than 6 months after the implementation of the Community for Learning (CFL), a collaborative project initiated between the Office of the Superintendent of D.C. Public Schools, the Laboratory for Student…

This report presents the findings and recommendations of an examination of the implementation of a major form of school-based management (SBM). It is based on case studies of the science and mathematics departments of 10 high schools and 9 middle or junior high schools in 12 school systems, almost all of which are urban school districts. The study…

This paper presents an overview of the research and literature on teaching/learning styles and teacher expectations. It also provides a rationale for linking teaching/learning styles with teacher expectations and establishes the basis for the pedagogy of Turning Point. Turning Point is a teacher training program that allows teachers to recognize…

The purpose of the Peer Victimization Intervention (PVI) was to develop and implement a culture-specific pilot intervention to address the effects of bullying on middle school students who are victims utilizing the Participatory Culture-Specific Intervention Model (PCSIM; Nastasi, Moore, & Varjas, 2004). The involvement of participants who serve…