A substantive body of research demonstrates that programs for young people have a range of positive benefits including academic achievement, career exploration and development, and social, emotional and civic skills. However, many programs do not realize this potential -- often due to the lack of coordination and support about how to assess and…

This is the second 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 divided into five parts. The first part contains a discussion of…

This is the first 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 essentially descriptive and is divided into seven parts. The first…

Based on the assumption that staff development is an essential element in changing school climate and must be collaborative and participative, this program also incorporated the theory that raising participant expectations will improve school climate. The University of Toledo and the Springfield Local Schools in Holland, Ohio, in 1979-80 jointly…

The School Improvement Program (SIP) is a project which involves over half of California's public elementary and secondary schools and which emphasizes cooperative planning by schools and communities to improve education. The improvement planning process in each school is undertaken by a School Site Council (SCC), composed of the principal, and…

A process model is presented to provide an organized structure for improving schools and school staffs. In the model the school is the central focus, and it is seen in the context of related educational institutions, as part of a system that has interdependent parts. The components of this system are identified as: (1) the state; (2) the school…

Purpose: This paper aims to examine the importance of new employee orientation (NEO) programs, the quality of typical NEOs, and how to improve NEOs. Design/methodology/approach: The paper provides a viewpoint of the importance of new employee orientation programs, the quality of typical NEOs, and how to improve NEOs. Findings: Although western…

The California Community Colleges' (CCC) Flexible Calendar Program (FCP) allows districts to allocate up to 15 instructional days from the 175-day academic calendar to engage in staff, student, and instructional improvement activities. The CCC Board of Governors' Task Force on Flexible Calendar, drawing from three sources (i.e., program growth…

On the average, 10 percent of District of Columbia Public School (DCPS) students--approximately 8,500 students--are absent from school each day. In order to combat truancy, which often leads to dropping out, DCPS developed the Truancy Prevention Plan, part of a Comprehensive Plan for School Attendance Improvement, which was implemented between…

This report contains findings from a study to examine the impact of Pennsylvania's Customized Job Training (CJT) program upon clients (trainees), business/industry, local education agencies (LEAs), and local communities and the commonwealth. Chapter 1 details study purposes, design, and procedures. Chapter 2 presents a summary description of the…

This task force report discusses preservation practices in the University of Wyoming Library and presents recommendations for developing a more cohesive library material preservation program with a timeline for implementation. Recommendations deal with the specific areas of staffing the conservation program; condition of library materials;…

The Comprehensive School Improvement Program (CSIP), which was mandated by New York State to address issues of school reform, was a disappointment both in the way the State conceived the program and in the way it was implemented. CSIP was designed to encourage cooperative planning among teachers, principals, parents, and other school staff to…

Both formative and summative evaluations were used to guide development and appraise outcomes of a model college/public service agency collaborative effort to develop an inservice, onsite, volunteer training program for Office of Environmental Affairs (OEA) employees. Assessment procedures included interviews with Training Development Program…

This article delineates the results of 7 gifted program evaluation studies conducted in 20 different school districts and places them in the context of major areas for gifted program improvement. The author suggests that the field of gifted education may be vulnerable to losing its infrastructure at local levels if enhanced program development in…

Issues needing improvement in teacher preparation and the teaching profession are examined, and suggestions are made for reform. The paper represents an eclectic view of teacher education based on various resources, including: teacher preparation questionnaires, coursework, recommendations from the American Association of Colleges for Teacher…