This guide describes key steps for developing a well-thought-out plan for evaluating a State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP). The guide provides considerations for how to incorporate each step into an evaluation plan, as well as a series of worksheets that correspond to each step and can be used to facilitate the planning process. The guide,…

Spurred by the federal Race to the Top competition, the state of Tennessee implemented a comprehensive statewide educator evaluation system in 2011. The new system is designed to increase the rigor of evaluations and better differentiate teachers based on performance. The use of more differentiated ratings represents a significant shift in…

This resource was prepared in response to a request for information about how the six Phase 3 ELC States (Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Vermont) are leveraging ELC funds and other State funds to support inclusion. This information will be helpful to other States as they consider how to continue to increase the quality…

The topic of special education can be confusing and frightening for parents who suspect their child has a disability or has difficulty learning. Parents in this situation want to know how to get help for their child. This guide is intended as a reference for people who have questions about special education for a child. It summarizes the basic…

The state's Race to the Top (RTT) application requires changes to the state's evaluation/accountability system. It requires a teacher effectiveness measure, district effectiveness measure, leader effectiveness measure. Regarding the teacher effectiveness measure, RTT requires linking the data of individual students to individual teachers as part…

This document is intended to assist State Education Agency (SEA) and Lead Agency (LA) staff and technical assistance providers in designing a meaningful evaluation for the State Performance Plan (SPP)/Annual Performance Report (APR) improvement activities. It provides: (1) information about the relevance of evaluation in the context of improvement…

To inform states regarding their compliance with practices mandated by the Child Support Enforcement Amendments of 1984, this document provides a state by state analysis of the effects of the amendment on state child support laws. Information for each state is divided into two sections. The first section lists state laws that contain many or all…

This research determined the extent of implementation and the perceived effectiveness of evaluation practices required by federal legislation for vocational education. The respondents reported they have either fully implemented or are in the process of implementing the mandated evaluation activities and indicated a high level of usefulness of the…

Under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), all public school districts, campuses, and the state are evaluated annually for Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). The Texas AYP plan meets the requirements of the NCLB, maintains the integrity of the Texas assessment program, and provides a mechanism for evaluating district and campus AYP in 2003. Following…

This report highlights the structure and analyses of states' initiatives in attaining the purposes of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act. The intent of the study was to take "snapshots" from key perspectives during 1988 of what states are doing to meet the intents of the act as spelled out in 14 purposes. Examples, or…

Designed to meet the requirements of recent federal legislation, the booklet describes Project DART, which provides services in adapted physical education for handicapped children in Georgia. The first section examines the state of the art in adapted physical education and reviews the mandates of Public Law 94-142 (the Education for All…

As a preliminary to developing criteria to meet quality control requirements of the National Literacy Act of 1991, this report analyzes four areas where state education agencies examine program quality: local program monitoring to assess compliance or promote program improvement; criteria used to evaluate local program funding applications;…

Each spring, Arizona students participate in testing as part of the state's assessment program. Elementary and middle school students in grades 3 through 8 take the Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards--Dual Purpose Assessment (AIMS DPA) in reading, writing, and mathematics. These tests serve as an important measure of student achievement for…

The book discusses the implications of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 on providers of health, education, and social services for the handicapped in the state of New Jersey. Among the aspects covered are a general overview; general provisions of Section 504; program accessibility; building codes; a model transition plan; employment…

A proposed South Carolina state plan for adult basic education under the Adult Education Act of 1966 (Title III of P.L. 89-750) outlines basic organizational provisions (custody of funds, selection of instructional personnel, curriculum, program evaluation, state and local advisory committees, and cooperation in antipoverty efforts); guidelines…