In this qualitative case study, we adopted theories of street-level bureaucracy and policy entrepreneurship to examine formation processes of environmental and sustainability education (ESE) policy at school and local government level. We focused on teachers' and urban government ESE officials' motives for initiating ESE programs, the support…

The FNS Research Corner provides a continuing series to summarize recently completed and current research conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) in the area of child nutrition. Summaries of recently completed research projects, research conducted through grant activities, and in-progress research are…

Improving minority academic achievement is a primary goal for education policy makers. Despite resource allocations, gaps in minority accomplishments persist. Emerging research suggests language variety may hinder minority students, thereby slowing academic progress. This article synthesizes suggestions from a panel composed of experts in the…

The California Community Colleges are vital to closing the projected shortfall of Californians with a postsecondary credential and sustaining the state's economic competitiveness. Increasing the number of students who pursue and earn certificates and associate degrees in career technical education (CTE) fields is an important component of the…

This paper reveals how the provision of teacher professional development is conceptualised within the Australian Government Quality Teacher Programme (AGQTP) policy text and its predecessors, and uses these texts to infer the nature of the production practices associated with the development of these policies. The paper argues that multiple…

In April 2008, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) contracted with the Educational Policy Improvement Center (EPIC) to facilitate a series of regional workshops and provide technical assistance to strengthen efforts to improve college readiness for all students. This final report summarizes these activities…

This booklet presents a series of worksheets to assist in the development and implementation of a well integrated set of policies for gifted/talented programs. Each worksheet covers an issue to be considered in policy development, with blank space allotted for specifying positive and negative points, a suggested policy, needs, and a timeline.…

In at least 44 states across the country, students are logging in to learn at all times of the day and night--accessing courses they might otherwise be unable to take, interacting with students they might otherwise never know, and working with highly qualified teachers they otherwise could not access. In these and countless other ways, online…

According to Charles Lindblom, policy-makers are faced with so many constraints that, rather than using rational models of problem-solving, they are forced merely to "muddle through." However, muddling through is not only a necessity, it is often desirable. Experience designing and managing an administrators' development program…

Guidelines are provided for those just beginning, or planning to improve, an educational facility's Integrated Pesticide Management (IPM) program. The manual's first chapter discusses what an IPM is and why it should be implemented. The second chapter provides the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation program contacts and…

Describes the development and content of a guide for developing and implementing a district policy for school counseling service in British Columbia. Discusses the composition and sponsorship of the committee, the process rather than prescriptive nature of the guide itself, and its utility for professionals. (Author/JAC)

Practical policy issues concerning extended year programs for severely handicapped students include aspects of eligibility criteria as stipulated by the courts and aspects of program development (continuity of quality programming, generalization and maintenance, and nonhandicapped peer involvement). (CL)

Offers points for consideration by both school boards and charter-school advocates. Important elements of a successful charter school include vision, hands-on administrators, a commitment to staff development, and founders who also serve as maintainers. (LMI)

To assure accountability to educational policy developed by elected and appointed leaders, agencies and organizations must adopt high quality evaluation designs tailored to meet three basic tenets: (1) different processes for policy formation and demonstration of accountability; (2) clear accountability expectations built into policies; (3)…

This paper offers guidelines for policy makers who are responsible for establishing incentive programs for teachers. It provides a framework for: (1) identifying performance-based incentive systems; (2) examining their underlying assumptions; (3) classifying program operations (types of incentives, methods of reward delivery, timing and types of…