In the ESSA Leadership Learning Community (ELLC), education agency leaders, community organization leaders, and others have together taken on challenges facing schools and school leaders in their states. They have produced advice to state agencies on policy design and rollout, for example on official definitions of equity, on requirements for…

A leadership academy is a formal professional learning opportunity for current school leaders, focused on augmenting knowledge and skills, increasing specialization, and refreshing leadership practices. States interested in supporting leadership academies through federal or other funding sources can look to current models of leadership academies…

In the summer of 2012, thousands of teachers across the United States attended several days of professional development workshops. The workshops, which focused on the Common Core State Standards, were part of a Tennessee Department of Education initiative in teacher leadership. The department recruited and trained 200 highly-effective teachers to…

This report provides an overview of southeastern state efforts to assist low-performance schools in building capacity to improve students' academic achievement. High poverty, poor economic resources, and a high turnover rate of both students and practitioners are factors that impede school improvement. High-poverty schools that do improve commonly…

This book is designed to be a resource tool for all environmental education advocates and supporters, particularly those seeking to fully incorporate environmental education into their state and local school system. It provides a conceptual model for understanding comprehensive environmental education programs and the steps necessary to achieve…

This publication brings together the basic elements needed to develop, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive guidance and counseling program in local school districts. As a companion publication it provides supporting documentation, materials, and resources to implement the basic framework. Seventeen standards that provide the structure and…

The document reviews state of Georgia and federal law regarding the provision of special education programs for exceptional children and youth and outline procedures for providing those programs. Section I presents a summary of Georgia Chapter 32-6A, particularly the sections which address establishment of other special programs of education;…

This document presents three different views of accountability to address state needs as their departments of education design, improve, or review their state accountability and reporting systems. The first of three sections presents the system-design decision process as a linear sequence of ten steps from defining the purposes of the…

Key elements of selected educational choice programs in 11 states are summarized in this report. Information is provided on the type and level of program, number and age of students served, program costs and revenue sources, staffing, evaluation methods, and length of time in existence. Educational trends, barriers to program expansion, the…

The proposed New York State Cost of Education Index would be a statistical measure of the price changes in the goods and services purchased by local districts. Data would be available on a regional basis. Many statistical procedures and theoretical considerations involved in constructing such an index are similar to those used for the Consumer…

This handbook is designed to assist staff development committees in planning and conducting effective staff development programs. Administrative rules governing the establishment of staff development programs are set forth and clarified. A model for staff development describes the following steps for developing a program: (1) establish a board…

A report is given of a study conducted on the nature and extent of support that local school systems in Maryland currently provide to new teachers. The study had two components: a statewide survey and case studies of promising programs. The survey polled Associate or Assistant Superintendents of Instruction in 23 of Maryland's 24 county school…

Beginning with a copy of the official application for a federal grant for $1,428,000, this document contains the plans (and supporting documentation) for the state of Wisconsin's Elementary Secondary Education Act Title I migrant education program for 1981 which would serve 3,300 children. Included are project approval information, budget summary,…

Examined how six states provide educational services to students with special needs. Focuses on program models, requirements, financial support, and control mechanisms. Contrasts state approaches to the federal approach to providing services to similar populations. (GC)

Outlines the objectives, process, and tasks of New York State's school-based comprehensive planning system, implemented to meet accountability demands and budgetary cutbacks. Process diagrams and sample forms are included. (SJL)