What does it mean for students to be in a gifted program? While about 7% of students nationally participate in gifted programs, relatively little is known about the experiences of students in these programs or how they vary across districts. Combining administrative and survey data, we describe the structure of gifted programs across nearly 300…

Kindergarten education is becoming a priority throughout the USA as research shows its importance on later in life outcomes. The State of Washington instated full-day kindergarten for all public-school students beginning in 2016-2017. It "…is part of the state's constitutionally protected definition of 'Basic Education'" (Reykdal, n.d.,…

Facilities are the foundation for safe and effective STEM teaching and learning, and the manner in which they are initially designed can either enhance or impede the quality of a program. This new focus on facilities in the U.S, and particularly in Texas, is needed to engage students in relevant and meaningful learning experiences that are aligned…

In a time of new teacher certification requirements in New York State, school districts are grappling with how to meet the regulatory expectations imposed by Commissioner's Regulations Part 154. One way that schools are solving staffing challenges is by forging new collaborations with university partners to expand their collective capacities to…

Research shows that exposure to teachers of color has a positive impact on students of all races, and particularly on students of color. Despite these positive effects, only 4% of Pennsylvania's teachers are people of color. This percentage is not only one of the lowest in the nation, but it is also starkly disparate from Pennsylvania's own…

Pay for performance is not a new idea, and reformers should not ignore the dismal record of merit pay over the past century. Initially adopted with a flourish of expectations during several waves of popularity in the past, every plan eventually fell into disuse. These plans proved to be unexpectedly costly and cumbersome to run. They often…

Despite the key role that principals play in leading schoolwide change, districts' efforts to support principals are often limited, particularly in rural settings. In this article, we report the preliminary findings of a cross-district mentoring program for nine midcareer rural school principals. The collaboratively developed human resource…

In the Rio Grande Valley of south Texas, the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District has achieved a startling success over the last two years: it has recovered and graduated over 600 dropouts and put them on a clear pathway to college. Just a few years ago, low graduation rates, struggling high schools, and poor staff and student morale…

The social nature of language learning and development has been widely acknowledged, as has the importance of family relationships in language learning processes. The role that the first language plays in the literacy development of English language learners (ELLs) and their families is irrefutable. Advocates of family literacy programs have…

This program was developed to deal more effectively with behavior problems in children through providing training and consultative services to teachers and other school personnel who work directly with children. Program goals were: (1) the development and refinement of a model approach to intervention within a school, and (2) the development and…

In U.S. K-12 public education, incentive pay for educators remains firmly fixed as a high-interest policy topic and has recently become a popular reform initiative in many school systems. The Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF), created in 2006 by the U.S. Department of Education, is at the forefront of this policy movement and has provided hundreds of…

Describes the English infant-primary school system in terms of its history, its current program and curriculum design, and the cultural differences inherent in England that make its educational system unique. (BB)

This booklet for pupil personnel services (PPS) professionals describes five selected exemplary PPS district programs in Illinois (Bloomington District 87, Dundee Community Unit School District 300, Lake Park Community School District 108, Lyons Township High School District 204, and Warren Township High School District 121) as well as the…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997 requires Individualized Education Program teams to consider positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS) based on functional behavioral assessment for students with disabilities whose behavior impedes their learning or the learning of others. To meet federal mandates, educational…

Through an effective wellness program, one can improve his/her lifestyle to achieve a healthy, long life. The concept of wellness is defined in the beginning of this booklet. Next, the benefits of a wellness program are noted. A section is devoted to a "healthstyle" self-test developed by the U.S. Public Health Service. Once the…