Although varying among and within the states, the percentage of students with 504 plans is steadily and significantly increasing as a national average. Although the professional literature addresses the legal standards for eligibility for 504 plans, it has not provided up-to-date information to practitioners as to the legal standard for the…

In August 2010, the California State Board of Education adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Three years later, the president of the State Board, Dr. Michael Kirst, noted that CCSS "changes almost everything," including what teachers teach, how they teach, and what students are expected to learn (Kirst, 2013). Echoing his…

This study utilized a convergent parallel mixed methods design to study teachers' concerns during implementation of instructional coaching for math in a rural PK-12 district in north Texas over a three-year time period. Five campuses were included in the study: one high school (grades 9-12), one middle school (grades 6-8), and three elementary…

Education policymakers at the national level have initiated reforms in K-12 education for that past several years that have focused on teacher quality and teacher evaluation. More recently, reforms have included legislation that focuses on administrator quality as well. Included in far-reaching recent legislation in Arizona is a requirement that…

The "Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965," as amended (ESEA), provides funds to States and districts to improve the quality of their teachers and administrators in order to raise student achievement. These funds are provided through ESEA Title II, Part A ("Improving Teacher Quality State Grants--Subgrants to LEAs").…

To examine the fiscal implications of reorganizing the Los Angeles (California) Unified School District (LAUSD) into smaller, independent districts, researchers compared LAUSD revenues and expenditures with those of the balance of the state and analyzed differences in expenditures per student within LAUSD. This report on their evaluation is…

This report offers a framework and conceptual base for a statewide discussion of public school choice. A review of choice activities in other states and an analysis of typical components in a choice program are provided. Organized into four main chapters, the report starts with an explanation of the concept of choice followed by a review of the…

Enrollment growth and a lack of classroom space influenced the school district of Jefferson County, Colorado, to consider a year-round school program. A study committee decided that a plan called Concept 6 was the most appropriate for addressing local needs. Under Concept 6, there would be six instructional terms; students would attend school for…

This report, part of a long-range plan by San Diego Unified School District, California, investigates the extent to which the multitrack year-round program should be expanded to meet facility and curriculum needs. The report is divided into seven sections. Section 1, an issues statement, is followed by a background section and a section describing…

This resource guidebook provides planning and implementation models for year-round school schedules, including operational and instructional details. Section 1, "Statement of Needs," discusses California's overcrowded facilities, student retention, teacher compensation, and teacher shortage. "Planning Process Model," section 2, recommends methods…

As the idea of including limited English proficient (LEP) students in large-scale assessments is becoming popular among researchers, the practical question of how to do so meaningfully so that the needs and performances of LEP students are recognized while their scores are interpreted and used correctly becomes more important. This paper presents…

This report describes implementation of a districtwide planning model in the Mesa, Arizona, Public Schools. Figures illustrate planning processes throughout the report. Intended as an implementive framework, the planning system's purposes are to assist decision making about resource allocation, program direction, progress measurement, and district…