This article provides an overview of the "Schools of the Future" initiative introduced in California in January 2011 by the newly elected State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Torlakson. Its objective is to focus on the reform of the state school facility programme and to design highperforming, "greener" schools.…

In an effort to continuously advance the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) program, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) convened a series of meetings focusing on the future of NAEP. Participants engaged in productive discussions and debates, exchanging forward-thinking ideas about what role NAEP should play five,…

Time limits on benefit receipt became a central feature of federal welfare policy in the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA). Proponents of welfare reform argued that the time limits in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, would send a firm message to recipients that welfare is…

The Alberta Initiative for School Improvement (AISI) is a province-wide partnership program whose goal is to improve student learning and performance by fostering initiatives that reflect the unique needs and circumstances of each school authority. It is currently ending its third cycle and ninth year of implementation. "The Colloquium on…

A long-standing accountability system in Tennessee is now subject to change.

A supplement to the related document "Delinquency Prevention: Theories and Strategies," this paper analyzes the options for state agencies (particularly state planning agencies participating in the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration formula grant program) to promote and support program forms recommended in the companion document.…

This strategic plan outlines the goals and objectives of the Idaho Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (IDVR) for fiscal years 1996-99. The plan begins with a mission statement, a list of rehabilitation values, and an explanation of the services IDVR provides and how IDVR works as a change agent. Values associated with the importance of client…

This book chapter describes the 14-year evolution of Community Behavioral Services, a provincial government-operated program in Edmonton, Alberta. The program began in 1976 as a residential treatment facility for individuals having mental retardation and severely challenging behaviors. Later, a specialized family home was established as a halfway…

This paper presents a five-year plan for the improvement of Pennsylvania's system of services for people with mental retardation and their families. It was developed over an 18-month period by 70 people, including people with disabilities, family members, advocates, providers of service, legislative staff, and county and state government…

This report explains how welfare reform in New Jersey has served as an occasion for attempts to restructure the relations between public agencies and private service providers, and that these attempts raise important questions about who will and ought to play a part in the state's welfare programs. The historical context for privatization has…

This report describes individual state projects under the Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act (Tech Act) that are addressing the needs and barriers identified by citizens with disabilities. Systems change activities are described under the following topics: (1) changes through policy and legislation; (2) changes…

This report presents the 1994 update for a 5-year plan developed in 1992 which emphasizes changes resulting from restructuring Colorado state government and its departments. The first section presents the mission statement of the Division for Developmental Disabilities, a statement of the Division's operating principles, and a statement of desired…

An overview of public education in Mississippi during the 1983-84 fiscal year, from the point of view of the state department of education, is presented in this annual report. The report opens with a letter from the state superintendent that reviews major changes in the structure of state educational administration: the appointment of a new…

This report describes individual state projects under the Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act (Tech Act) that are improving access, provision, and funding of assistive technology (AT) for individuals with disabilities. The beginning of the report describes regional projects that are providing statewide information…

State and county initiatives in California have sparked a movement for integration of social services. The practical lessons learned by communities integrating services for children and families were studied and are presented in this report. The study draws on the experiences of seven California communities (Fresno County, Los Angeles County,…