Overwhelmingly, research shows that program quality is a major determinant in the achievement gains for young children who participate in early education programs. Teacher quality, in particular, is closely related to positive educational outcomes for preschool participants. Research shows that children in programs whose lead and supporting…

A selected annotated bibliography on managing development projects, intended for rural development practitioners, highlights items that outline some pressing issues and concerns confronting those involved in rural development in general and rural project management in particular. A section of annotated entries lists 21 publications on project…

In 1987, Congress directed each of the regional educational laboratories to develop a "rural initiative." Beginning in 1991, the U.S. Department of Education directed that the laboratories devote 25% of their effort to helping rural schools by fostering innovative rural education programs that promise to improve instruction, and by…

While formal definitions of "psychotherapy' have been notoriously elusive, there appears to be general agreement that it involves a professional relationship between a person seeking help for an emotional or behavior problem and a professional who is recognized by society as possessing a certain expertise. An important concomitant of this…

The more than 220 books, monographs, and articles listed in Sections I and II of this bibliography pertain to small schools and small school districts (generally, districts enrolling under 2,500 students), and the 54 school-community analysis publications listed in Section III pertain to any size school-community situation; all references are…

This annotated bibliography reviews 12 publications dealing with substitute teaching, including an article listing at least five ways principals can avoid problems with substitute teachers, a guidebook providing detailed advice for substitute teachers, an article suggesting community people with special knowledge be called in as an alternative to…

A guide for colleges concerning institutional financial aid services for adults is presented. Results of national surveys on participation in adult education are provided to help institutions design programs for adults. Nine characteristics of adult students are described, along with implications for policies and procedures of the financial aid…

Descriptions of 155 programs supported by the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education are provided. In addition to a brief statement of the scope of each program, the project director, address, and phone number are identified. Topics addressed by the programs include: ensuring adequate math preparation for college work through…

The ever-widening gap in farm productivity and income has resulted from differences in access to resources such as land and credit, limited access to information, and deliberate decisions by some farmers not to change. This last cause is the most difficult to correct. The decision not to adopt new practices is based on attitudes, values, and…

Lessons learned about the development of teaching improvement programs are presented in this sourcebook. Drawn from workshops, conferences, social consultations, audiovisual presentations, and brochures, this collection is intended as a resource tool and is directed at improving the educational process of colleges and universities. Chapters…

Intended for educators and program planners, this guide provides program information and planning ideas for maximizing opportunities to increase the basic skills of undereducated children, youth, and adults. It is suitable for use by those with or without expertise in the basic skills areas of reading, math, writing, and oral communication.…

The state of bachelor's level study and recommendations for improvement are addressed, along with policy issues concerning college missions, based on the work of the Project on Redefining the Meaning and Purpose of Baccalaureate Degrees. Attention is directed to: the decline and devaluation of the undergraduate degree, faculty responsibility,…

Three documents and eight journal articles on staff development (focusing particularly on inservice teacher education), selected from those recently made available through the ERIC system, are described briefly in this report. Topics covered by the items listed include enhancing teachers' perceptions of themselves, identifying workable staff…