In a Long Island school district, foreign-language study is part of every elementary school student's curriculum in grades 2 through 5. More than 90 percent of sixth-graders choose to study a language and have the chance to participate in 7-year and advanced-placement programs in these languages. (MLH)

Recently, one southeastern Idaho school's special-education aides were upgraded to paraprofessional status. All 28 para-educators are women, have at least a high-school diploma, and have job descriptions specifying what they should know and accomplish in the classroom. Training and compensation particulars are discussed. (MLH)

Adapting teaching materials and strategies to the learning preferences of each child can make a difference in how well and how much students learn. Steps in introducing strategies based on learning styles into an elementary school are described, and recommendations are provided for initiating a learning styles program. (TE)

Purpose-centered learning, which requires students to use their studies to address challenges they identify in their community, is effective in all types of schools and with diverse students. The system can generally be implemented simply by reallocating existing resources and rethinking traditional approaches. Purpose-centered education connects…

The Southern Oklahoma Technology Center, a vocational and technical school district, recently spearheaded an initiative to allow members to use laptops at home and during meetings to process board agenda items, receive video and multimedia presentations, and access the school's local-area network and the Internet. (MLH)

Profiles three exemplary school districts that reformed and enriched education through technology. Township High School District 214 (Arlington Heights, Illinois), Washington County Schools (Plymouth, North Carolina), and Clarksville-Montgomery County Schools (Clarksville, Tennessee) demonstrated commitment to student learning and staff…