Independent schools--and their teachers and administrators--are, as the name suggests, fiercely independent. So when the Common Core State Standards hit the national stage in March 2010 and became the center of the national conversation on education, it was no surprise that the majority of independent schools dismissed the standards as another…

The purpose of this report is to provide insight into how state departments are implementing legislative requirements for educator evaluation, particularly the specific circumstances states encounter around arts education. Spotlights on Delaware, a first-round recipient of Race to the Top funding, and Colorado and Arizona, third-round recipients,…

First launched in April 2009, the Common Core State Standards Initiative was conceived to identify and develop college- and career-readiness standards that address what students are expected to know and be able to do when they have graduated from high school. The initiative introduced the final version of the standards in June 2010, and by…

Based on the 1980-81 experiences of 12 rural Colorado school districts' efforts to implement the 4-day school week, this manual was written to examine the key decisions that must be considered in implementing the 4-day schedule. The manual delineates the alternatives regarding each decision, potential trouble areas, and the ways one particular…

Sixty-eight specific interventions to improve science education were grouped into 11 categories. Each category was then related to one of three major intervention objectives and an associated group. These categories, grouped by objectives are: (1) interventions increasing amount of time students are engaged in learning science (increasing student…

The Colorado Workplace Learning Initiative was organized for the following purposes: (1) to design and implement a process for public/private partnerships to address workplace literacy; (2) to establish an effective method for curriculum adaptation and development based on specific workplace needs; (3) to provide accessible, relevant, and…

Information is provided for individuals wanting to start or improve Alternative Cooperative Programs (ACE). The ACE program model was developed in Colorado to enhance the educational opportunities for special needs youth, maximize their abilities to live independently, and reduce their risk of dropping out. ACE programs serve handicapped and…

This paper describes and assesses a pre-engineering curriculum development project called Foundations of Engineering, Science and Technology (FEST). FEST integrates web-based technologies into an inter-connected system to enable delivery of a blended program at multiple institutions. Tools and systems described include 1) technologies to deliver…