High-quality care in the earliest years of life has been shown to relate to positive developmental outcomes for children, including improved early academic skills, social-emotional competencies, and cognitive functioning. Unfortunately, the early care experiences of many children are not always high quality; rather, research suggests that…

Legislative mandates for improving student achievement under the No Child Left Behind Act have increased the need for student assessment, curriculum development and staff development in public schools. In order to meet these demands, schools must have the capacity necessary for improvement. Minnesota's small districts and their schools face…

The position of assistant principal has existed since the mid-1920s. Although the assistant principal's role has evolved, no consensus exists as to its defined nature. Traditionally, assistant principals spent most of their time working on student discipline, attendance, and various administrative/ non-educational duties. This study seeks to…

We welcome you to the International Conference on Education and New Developments 2014, taking place in Madrid, Spain, from 28 to 30 of June, 2014. Education, as an important right in our contemporary world, began since we exist. Knowledge and skills were passed by adults to the young, and cultures began to extend their experiences through various…

New roles for teachers in curriculum development conflict with traditional expectations. Constructing curriculum involves teachers' individual flexibility and collective uniformity. This article presents a curriculum-inquiry model that integrates elements of educational practice often dealt with in isolation (instruction, curriculum, assessment,…

A persistent dilemma of school leadership is whether principals should concentrate efforts on building cohesion and good working relationships among staff or on specific curriculum aimed toward specific learning outcomes for students. Interviews with three principals who worked through both strengthening collegiality and improving curriculum show…

This document is a compilation of materials on integrating academic and vocational technical education. Section 1 presents integration basics, including a definition, its benefits, barriers, conditions required for integration, and models, pros, and cons. Section 2 focuses on curriculum alignment and provides steps for designing an integrated unit…

Proceedings of the 10th Conference of 100+ in New York City, which focused on Adult Basic Education, comprise this document. More than 150 participants and guests from 23 states and Canada attended the conference. Part I of the proceedings reports on the various sessions. The 45 papers presented at the conference are provided in Part II. The…

The responsibility of the reading/language arts program is to provide quality instruction, materials, and assessment practices to a diverse community of students. The responsibility of the Supervisor of Reading/Language Arts is to provide leadership toward integrating all communication skills with focus on increased student learning. There is no…

A basic tenet of the effective-schools movement is that all children can master the basic skills needed to be successful in school. Today, the twin notions of equity and excellence strongly drive the school-reform movement. This book examines the effective-schools movement as a school-reform philosophy and renewal process for the present and…

Teachers need to improve certain teaching and writing competencies if they are to improve student writing competencies. Teachers from the Atlanta school district were surveyed to determine their opinions for improving writing instruction. Survey results indicate that teacher education programs can be improved by: (1) making information on writing…

This paper is designed to provide local adult education administrators and teachers in Florida with information to help them to implement adult high school programs more effectively, in compliance with the State of Florida Adult High School Course Curriculum Framework. The paper addresses the following five areas: (1) purpose and terminology; (2)…

Authentic performance assessments--when used simultaneously with matching curricular practices--are a promising development for practitioners and students alike. A major benefit for practitioners appears to be the opportunity to redefine the curriculum and guide instruction. Benefits for students include the opportunity to engage in authentic work…

Containing recommendations of a 36-person task force, this report establishes a direction for actions that the Virginia Beach, Virginia school division should take to improve the current educational program. Recommendations are presented in four sections. Section 1 (kindergarten-grade 12) discusses curriculum, staff development, and student…

A Javits grant implemented statewide in Kentucky used innovative curriculum and team teaching to identify and serve middle school gifted students. Project components included interdisciplinary curriculum development, staff development, expanded provision of services, alternative methods for identifying middle school gifted students, and parent…