This report covers the activities of the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) from Oct. 1, 2003, to Sept. 30, 2004. From investigating the misidentification of minority students in special education, to ensuring accessibility of college campuses for students with disabilities, to facilitating access of women to equal…

This paper overviews strategies employed by the Appalachian Rural Systemic Initiative (ARSI) to implement systemic reform in math, science, and technology education in rural Appalachia. ARSI is one of four Rural Systemic Initiative projects funded by the National Science Foundation to target regions characterized by low population density and high…

Between 1993 and 1996, Henry Ford Community College (Michigan) worked with business, industry, and technical instructors to revise their Technical Mathematics program in accordance with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Standards. The purpose of the project was to restructure the technical math curriculum and create a context…

Originally designed as a drug abuse prevention program for drug-abusing parents and their children, the Strengthening Families Program (SFP) has developed into a family-change program. Presented in 14 2-hour-long, consecutive weekly sessions, SFP has two versions: for elementary school children and their parents and for parents and youth 10-14…

This annual report contains information about the 2002 activities of the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP), including proposed outcomes and activities and results for each, organized into the four following areas: (1) developing research; (2) reporting and facilitating a concerted approach; (3) exchange and…

Based on the view that the rapid expansion and development of preschool education requires careful scrutiny of both educational policy and practices, this book presents information on current early childhood education and care policy in Portugal. Section 1 of the book provides a historical framework for the development of early childhood education…

This bulletin is an examination of the practices and procedures for the administration of a merit salary policy as part of the teacher compensation program. It analyzes the procedures for the implementation of a merit salary policy in six school districts which are prominent examples in this field: Canton, Connecticut; Ladue, Missouri; Rich…

Today’s schools are complex systems with complex problems. Addressing those problems often requires significant change efforts. However, many school administrators don’t know how to select a focus for these efforts or how to lead staff through such changes--and even if they did, the job is too large for one person. One solution to this dilemma is…

Reflects on the leadership role of a County Office Superintendent in bringing character education to students countywide. Reiterates the importance of systematic training, collaborative involvement with the community, and student recognition for program success. Includes information about the Character Counts! Program and addresses for receiving…

This article describes the rationale for implementing dual preparation partnership programs, the characteristics of the University of Hawaii at Manoa dual preparation partnership programs in elementary and secondary education, the implementation and assessment of the first elementary dual preparation cohort, and the resulting modifications to the…

A Quality and Curriculum pilot summer school program paired teachers of remedial students, provided classroom volunteers, and arranged for teachers to attend sessions on reflection and learning in quality and curriculum each afternoon. Teachers then implemented new strategies with the summer school students. This article describes the program's…

A successful professional development school (PDS) project, established by four elementary schools and a university, has four components: student teacher cohorts, close link between coursework and field experiences, close collaboration between university instructional team and PDS site personnel, and entire staff commitment to student teacher…

This article describes research with schoolteachers using participatory methods and reflective practice. These approaches have been used to enable teachers to establish their practice needs in relation to education for sustainability (EfS) and also maintain the integrity of their subject disciplines. The participatory methods are derived from…

Research on distance education in Mexico is still in the embryonic stage, in spite of its long history. One indication is that among the lines of research defined by the Mexican Council on Educational Research, the leading organization in the field in Mexico, distance education does not even appear. Only recently, in the last few years, has an…

State and federal mandates for education reform call for increased accountability and the inclusion of students with disabilities in all accountability efforts. In the rush to implement high-stakes education reforms, particularly those involving tests or assessments, the particular needs of students with severe cognitive disabilities are only now…