This study explored parents' perceptions regarding early intervention (EI) services. More specifically, families' responses to individual items on the Family Outcome Survey--Revised (FOS-R) were evaluated and are discussed. Based on purposive sampling technique, previously collected data were obtained from six states. A total of 3,945 cases were…

This paper examines the key aspects of stakeholder engagement that can strengthen the design, implementation and sustainability of outcomes-based funding policies. We seek to help policymakers understand the prevailing starting-point attitudes of institutional stakeholders, primarily college and university administrators, faculty and staff, and…

The importance of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) has gained national attention in recent years, with educators, policymakers, and others advocating for greater participation and enhanced performance in STEM in order to bolster the U.S. economy and provide greater national security. This brief summarizes several pieces of…

The federal government and private foundations for education have established postsecondary credential completion as a national imperative. Washington State's Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST) model was developed to increase the rate at which basic skills students advance to and succeed in college-level occupational programs,…

Adult education services, including education for those lacking basic literacy and numeracy, preparation for the high school equivalency diploma, and English-as-a-second-language courses, play a crucial role in bridging the basic skills gap for Latinos and other workers with limited formal education and training. With recent policy and program…

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) has provoked more controversy than any previous education legislation in recent decades. Our conceptual analysis was guided by three questions: What do we see happening in the schools? What does the law seem to mean in terms of accountability to different people in the schools? Where is the justice in these…

The goal of college preparation programs is to help students, particularly underrepresented students of color, to enroll and succeed in college. While many programs focus on strengthening students' math and reading skills, familiarizing them with college entrance exams, and demystifying the college admissions process, there are few guidelines for…

This interview with the executive director of the National Association for Gifted Children documents responses to questions about gifted program advocacy, including opposition to differentiated education for gifted students, effective lobbying techniques, and relationships with legislators and the business community. (DB)

This study presents a descriptive overview of 20 alternative certification and retraining programs and reports on 10 of them in depth. Specific questions addressed in the study include: (1) What are the characteristics of individuals being attracted to such programs and of the programs themselves? (2) How successful are programs in preparing…

Career ladder program assessment for 1988, which is being conducted by The Arizona Career Ladder Research and Evaluation Project, is in its third year of data collection, analysis, and reporting. This document presents 38 statistical tables on average scores of responses to a survey of teachers and administrators regarding levels of program…

A redesigned preservice education curriculum, conceived to strengthen ties between special and regular elementary teachers, featured the extensive use of practicums and student teaching. A questionnaire was developed to secure external evaluation and validation of the program. The specific research objective was concerned with how members of the…

This report summarizes information about Family Life Education (FLE) as mandated by the New Jersey Board of Education. The information is taken from a variety of sources and three principal concerns of the state board are analyzed: (1) the status of implementation of family life education; (2) local district perceptions of training needs; and (3)…

This article reviews the reactions to higher-level National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) in the United Kingdom in the context of certification levels by level and subject. The most successful higher NVQs are linked to professional qualifying routes, have generic application across a range of sectors or fill gaps where qualifications were not…

Regional surveys of 32 Scottish schools, case study of 153 fourth-year pupils in 1 school, and post-school sampling of 68 individuals revealed similarities in organization but differences in aims, approaches, and attitudes toward leisure education. School-sponsored programs had little influence on leisure time use of adolescents or in post-school…

Questionnaires were mailed to parents of the 55 sixth graders in the 1988-89 year-round school pilot program in Conroe Independent School District in Texas and to those of sixth graders on the district's traditional calendar to determine parent perceptions and satisfaction regarding the year-round school calendar. The document also reviews the…