This article describes how seven schools in England improved their science provision by focusing on the professional development of their science technicians. In September 2013, the Gatsby Charitable Foundation funded the National Science Learning Centre to lead a project connecting secondary schools with experienced senior science technicians…

Students with low-incidence disabilities frequently receive less than optimal psychoeducational services because the specialized tests and instructional materials required to meet their idiosyncratic needs often are unavailable due to budget constraints, inadequate training of school personnel, and the difficulty school personnel have keeping…

Program managers frequently put staff training near the top of their lists of ongoing challenges. The mix of diverse, complex training needs in many programs means managers may be responsible for orienting new staff, implementing new administrative procedures, or facilitating steps toward long-term program improvement. The greatest underlying…

Guided pathways reforms can take several years to implement at scale because they require a thoroughgoing redesign of a college's major functions, including: (1) organizing programs into career-focused meta-majors to enhance student recruitment and exploration and program improvement; (2) mapping clear paths to degrees, employment, and further…

This issue brief examines the role of central office administrators in the reinvention process and what research and experience matters for expanding student learning. The brief includes examples from central office reinvention efforts currently planned or under way in Atlanta Public Schools, New York City Public Schools, and Oakland Unified…

This is the third of three volumes that constitute the final evaluation report of Project STAR (State Technical Assistance Resources), an undertaking of the Maryland State Department of Education designed to help 36 elementary schools improve their reading programs. This volume is the project handbook and contains information concerning the…

This paper is the Office for Civil Rights's (OCR's) "Annual Report to Congress" for fiscal years 2007 and 2008. This report details OCR's accomplishments in enforcing the civil rights laws under which OCR has been granted jurisdiction to address and remedy discrimination. These enforcement efforts include complaint investigation and resolution,…

The multiplier strategy involves training selected teachers or supervisors, who subsequently act as turnkey trainers in their own schools or districts. Project SITE, which uses the turnkey strategy to train trainers in elementary mathematics and has been adopted by more than 250 schools, is described and evaluated. (MT)

A description is given of the development and implementation of an inservice program, "Project Excel," which was designed in accordance with andragogical theory. This theory is based upon four major assumptions: (1) as people grow, they become increasingly self-directed; (2) as people grow, a reservoir of experiences which provide a…

An emphasis on full staff involvement has been the focus of school improvement efforts at Beacon Hill Elementary School in Kelso, Washington. Following a process for improvement through the application of effective schooling research results in instructional programs, the school has involved staff in planning, goal setting, and extensive inservice…

This paper describes summative evaluation of the Quest project conducted at four case-study schools. The schools were selected for their high involvement in Quest, varied interpretations and uses of the project, and diverse locations and demographic constitutions. Data collection included participant observation, individual and semistructured…

Discusses staff development for effective teachers and principals and describes a staff development program implemented in Jackson, Mississippi, which resulted in improved student achievement. (GC)

Featured are 8 of the 17 exemplary staff development programs selected by the Advisory Panel of the National Center for the Improvement of Learning. Nine of the programs were featured in the February issue. (Author/DCS)

An investigation was made of a school district career ladder plan that includes formal responsibility for the supervision, mentoring, and professional growth of the novice/probationary teachers in the schools as a direct part of teacher leader responsibilities. The district career ladder attempts to address greater initial teaching success,…

This advisory is offered as an aid to planning programs of staff development. The roles of the local education agencies and the school staff are defined in the tasks of setting program objectives and assessing staff development needs. A portion of a handbook issued by the State Department of Education on program planning is included, and its…