A review of Utah service learning programs leads to the following recommendations: (1) listen to community needs; (2) involve youth in planning service activities; and (3) collaborate with other community programs serving youth. (SK)

At Texas A&M University and the University of South Florida recent changes have limited some benefits of tenure. While these changes do not yet reflect a trend, some experts note that universities should deal with troublesome faculty members individually rather than by establishing rules eroding tenure for all. (SLD)

Describes the design and implementation of a mediation program for the resolution of child protection disputes in Nova Scotia. Focuses on the legal mandate for mediation, training programs for mediators, orientation programs for child protective workers, and the actual mediation process. (MDM)

During fall 2007, the NGA Center surveyed states regarding the presence and nature of state early childhood coordinating councils, which may exist as Early Learning Councils, Task Forces, Children's Cabinets, Interagency Coordinating Councils, etc. For brevity, these coordinating entities are referred to below as Early Childhood Advisory Councils…

Bright Futures is a Florida-state-funded scholarship program that pays either 75% or 100%, depending on the scholarship level, for up to 132 credits hours in a 120-credit-hour program. Prepaid plans are purchased for a student prior to their attending college, and usually when the future college student is a young child. The plans guarantee the…

The Biennial Report presents a summary of programs and services provided by the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction for 2007-2009. The State Superintendent notes that while North Dakota's education system is good, slippage in test scores is occurring, cracks in the education system are developing and some students are falling through…

This edition of "Bright Futures" highlights 12 states (Alabama, Colorado, Nevada, Iowa, Maryland, Ohio, West Virginia, Connecticut, Guam, Maine, Pennsylvania and Kansas) that have received grants to support the development of an Early Childhood Advisory Council. Other features of this edition include announcements of state early…

One of the important misconceptions in the American view of poverty is that people are poor because they do not work. This article presents an exercise, the "bottom line," which helps dispel students' misconceptions about the working poor. Through extensive primary-data collection and assembling a budget for low-skilled workers, the exercise: (1)…

This "Report Card to the Public" is published in accordance with Alaska Statute 14.03.120 for the school year 2012-2013. Under state law, each school district is required to report information about its plans and performance to its community. This report includes a statewide summary of performance results. Public knowledge of the school…

State oversight for teacher preparation programs mostly ignores the impact of graduates on the K-12 students they teach, and it gives little attention to where graduates teach or how long they remain in the profession. There is no evidence that current state policies hold programs to high standards in order to produce teachers who can help…

Our current system for holding U.S. teacher education programs accountable doesn't guarantee program quality or serve the needs of schools and students. State oversight for teacher preparation programs mostly ignores the impact of graduates on the K-12 students they teach, and it gives little attention to where graduates teach or how long they…

In recent years, an increasing number of states have been moving towards the development and implementation of longitudinal data systems for tracking the progress of individual K-12 students with disabilities across their academic careers up to and including their postsecondary activities. In an effort to avoid duplication of data collection…

Career clusters represent a nationwide effort to help learners obtain the knowledge and skills they need for career success, mobility and advancement by aligning what is taught in the classroom to business and industry expectations. In this article, the authors, education department officials from Nebraska, Virginia, and Alabama, outline the…

No Child Left Behind has become a permanent fixture in the world of education. This paper seeks to use the construct of figured worlds as described by Holland, Skinner, Lachicotte, & Cain, (1998) to examine the ways policy makers and teachers navigate the world of literacy education. Viewing policy makers and teachers as participants in…

This annual report highlights SREB's recent achievements and how its services are helping the 16 member states rise to the challenge of improving education at all levels. The report also includes remarks from the Board Chair and President, acknowledges chief contributors and lists members of the Board, Legislative Advisory Council and SREB staff.…