The basic premise of the personnel evaluation technique described in this paper is that continuing improvement in performance should be the prime commitment of all professionals. Namely, both the evaluator and the one evaluated should initiate, develop, and pursue a plan of action together, as described in this paper. Also included is a sample…

Parent conferencing is a way to dramatically improve home/school relationships. Parent conferences, at their very best, provide the teacher with useful information about individual students. More importantly, however, they create a parent/teacher team atmosphere, with each member contributing his or her knowledge and experience for the benefit of…

This issue of the "Quarterly Resource" reviews the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the act's implications for Head Start programs, and offers suggestions for developing plans for complying with the provisions of the act. After a brief introduction, an overview of ADA is presented, followed by several examples and cost estimates…

Adaptive skills are the perceptual, emotional, and behavioral tendencies that are learned at a young age. They can be a major block to competence by affecting one's functioning at the two higher skill levels of functional and work content skills. Because students and faculty relate to each other as members of a family, they can help each other…

This publication provides a sequential action plan that can be followed stage by stage by any British further education college planning to merge. Section 1 describes the Sunderland merger, one of the first to be driven by an attempt to avoid wasteful competition. Section 2 describes the 10 stages in devising an action plan. For each stage in the…

Numerous studies indicate that climate, the prevailing "feeling" of the environment, not only contributes to behavioral and situational outcomes, but that climate can be changed to help bring about the behaviors and outcomes desired. Researchers have identified characteristics of positive school climates and ways of determining the…

The current state of knowledge about and experiences with community participation in worldwide developmental programs are examined in this journal issue. Specific topics addressed in part I include (1) reasons advanced in favor of community participation; (2) issues related to the implementation of primary health care programs and areas for…

The Research and Evaluation Branch of the Los Angeles Unified School District presents a bulletin to help prepare students to do their best on achievement tests. The bulletin is divided into five sections. After an introduction, section 2, "Characteristics of Today's Standardized Achievement Tests" discusses test content, test format,…

This report, addressed to administrators and board members, discusses teacher dismissals in light of such motivating factors as declining enrollment, teacher supply and demand, and budget problems. Divided into nine chapters, this how-to-do-it book discusses some of the following topics: facts and figures on the dismissal of teachers, alternatives…

This research bulletin on inclusion of students with disabilities in general education settings first outlines distinctions among mainstreaming, inclusion, and full inclusion. It explores whether federal law requires inclusion, the "down side" of inclusion, the impact of inclusion on classmates, supplementary aids and services, the…

As one of a series of sharply focused booklets based on concrete educational needs, this booklet provides teachers with educational theory and research on evaluating classroom speaking and presents suggestions for the application of the theory in regular classroom situations. The section on theory and research begins by describing a model of the…

The seven articles in this journal issue focus on the evaluation of reading programs at the elementary and secondary school levels. The articles contain (1) guidelines for evaluating reading materials, (2) a checklist designed to provide a broad overview of a school reading program, (3) an interview with Wayne Otto concerning techniques for…

In educating children with disabilities, training for independence should begin early, and the "technology" may be very simple. This paper lists activities designed to increase gross, fine motor, cognitive, and eye-hand coordination skills needed for independent living. It encourages caregivers to engage young children in active learning…

This publication presents a system of proactive classroom management for use in elementary school, grades K-6. Characteristics of the proactive concept are described as: (1) planning for prevention rather than reaction to behavior problems; (2) considering the classroom as a total process of facilitating achievement as well as appropriate…

This issue contains five articles about assessment in adult literacy programs. The first article, "Living Literacy: Rethinking Adult Learner Assessment" (Susan L. Lytle), focuses on developing alternative forms of assessment such as literacy portfolios to identify changes in four dimensions of adult literacy over the course of literacy…