Students with low-incidence disabilities frequently receive less than optimal psychoeducational services because the specialized tests and instructional materials required to meet their idiosyncratic needs often are unavailable due to budget constraints, inadequate training of school personnel, and the difficulty school personnel have keeping…

This study was designed to determine the degree of use, level of client satisfaction of professional development and educational services, and to identify suggestions for improving services. Results from a mixed methodology approach indicated moderate to high levels of satisfaction in two program areas and moderate to high levels of…

Described is a vocational education model designed to increase cooperative effort for the improvement of vocational personnel. The introductory section discusses the need for a systematic approach to vocational personnel development in Florida, presents the goals of the system, and briefly summarizes the salient features of each component of the…

This guide summarizes information and procedures from recent research on staff development and provides examples of staff development practices in Georgia school systems. Section 1 describes a new vision for staff development, with a focus on student development as a strategy for organizational change. Section 2 looks at the expanding role of the…

A model of developmentally appropriate practice in helping teachers grow is described. The model derives from a consideration of the psychological processes by which adults learn, and our desire to teach adults by the same methods we hope they will use in teaching children. The model includes a sequence of six kinds of interactions that the…

A synthesis of literature on administrator assessment and staff development and a directory of resources are presented in this document. Section 1 discusses several aspects of administrator evaluation--the purposes of performance assessment; the components of evaluation; and the issues, processes, and recommendations for an effective evaluation…

Through a questionnaire survey of 267 school districts, the actual practices of United States school districts identified as having outstanding staff development programs were compared with those of randomly-selected school districts. Discrepancies and similarities are discussed, along with support needs for instructional improvement. (SLD)

Small rural schools incur greater expense and hardship to take advantage of staff development activities, usually held in cities or universities. The Iowa Intervention Initiative (III) overcame practical and logistic problems to hold teacher workshops for 79 small rural Iowa schools. Discusses III goals, recruitment of participants, selection and…

Describes recent state initiatives to improve child care for Mississippi children. Efforts include development of a child care director's credential, on-site training through staff at mobile training vans, initiatives to heighten consumer awareness and help parents make informed choices, voter education projects, and free yearly conferences for…

The Oregon component of a four-state project working towards the design of a staff development and school improvement support system is described. Information was gathered from various sources regarding the number and kinds of continued professional development activities engaged in by schools throughout the state. These data were fashioned into a…

The purpose of this report was to develop a plan for adult education staff development directed towards enhancing and expanding the delivery of training to Adult Basic Education (ABE), General Educational Development (GED), and English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) staff in Pennsylvania. It is intended to provide guidance and direction to adult…

In October 1992, a task force on professional development was established to identify ways in which the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) could use professional development to enhance its educational programs and services. This report provides information on the development of the task force, discusses findings, and presents recommendations…

The results of the mathematics training needs assessment for grades K through 12 teachers in the Great Falls Public School of Montana are contained in this report. This was conducted as one part of a statewide mathematics and science needs assessment. Teacher demographics, experience levels, and educational background are reported. Mathematics…

This seminar, sponsored by the Oregon Council for Continued Professional Development and the Oregon Department of Education, brought together 60 educational leaders from all sectors and from all regions of Oregon to discuss staff development issues. Fostering collaborartion between elementary/secondary and postsecondary institutions was a central…

This report examines the current status of federal and state involvement in educational personnel development. First, it describes the federal legislative process, and offers a list of members of Congressional committees dealing with education legislation. Next, it analyzes involvement of the U.S. Office of Education and of individual states in…