The purpose of this study was to explore the production, communication, interpretation and contestation of new physical education (PE) and physical activity (PA) policy initiatives introduced in Mississippi and Tennessee for the academic year 2006-2007. These states provide a relevant context to study such issues, since Mississippi has the highest…

The dichotomy that exists between social and physical planning continues to be a major community problem. A comparison and examination is made between the basic concepts of social and physical planning with the purpose of recommending the creation of a working model that can be adaptable for environmental design. Consideration is given to the…

Teacher preparation programs nationwide struggle to meet rigorous national standards, particularly as they relate to the assessment standard of the National Council of Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). There are many issues which make decisions about program improvement complex, often confusing and frustrating faculty. These include the…

A considerable amount of time, effort, and other resources go into the development and implementation of education projects. Quite obviously, the goal is to create effective projects that can serve as models of excellence. Whether the project is an hour-long endangered species talk, a family festival, a severe weather awareness workshop, marine…

The Association Supporting Computer Users in Education (ASCUE) is a group of people interested in small college computing issues. It is a blend of people from all over the country who use computers in their teaching, academic support, and administrative support functions. ASCUE has a strong tradition of bringing its members together to pool their…

Research on summer learning losses has unambiguous implications for America: all children need learning opportunities in the summer. But how and when policymakers, educators, and youth service providers will fashion appropriate programming are far less clear. At the root of this problem is the need to vastly increase, stabilize, and coordinate…

The main goal of the Inquiry into the Future for Lifelong Learning is to provide a "strategic framework" for the future. In this article, the author considers the key components that will make up the framework. These are: (1) a statement of vision and values; (2) a stock-take of the current position; (3) an "investment…

A monograph, which is the first written description of a state-wide application of systematic planning based upon the concepts of corporate and conglomerate long-range planning, is presented. The six-year planning process of the Washington State community college system embraces a four-phase sequence of activities. Phase I involves the development…

Strategic planning is complex (Dodd, 2004), and when managed well, it requires deliberate incorporation of evidenced-based data and the collaboration of key stakeholders. Thus, it is essential that the planning process includes the integration of data that are collected regularly and that both internal and external professional partners have the…

Three documents are presented that deal with planning for the community college system in Vermont. "Central Vermont Regional Site Planning" discusses the populations to be served, geographic location, program emphasis, and interagency linkages. Goals, operational responsibilities, action steps, evaluation, staff responsibilities, and a…

Established by NIE in June 1975, the State Dissemination Grants Program provides resources to state education agencies to develop comprehensive and generalized dissemination capacity, which is defined as the leadership and service capability to provide information and technical assistance in the solution of problems identified by the dissemination…

The Academic Common Market is an interstate agreement among Southern states for sharing academic programs. Participating states are able to make arrangements for their residents who qualify for admission to enroll in specific programs in other states on an in-state tuition basis. Thus far, the arrangements have been limited to unusual graduate…

In "Renewing Our Commitment to Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools in the Third Millennium," the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB; 2005) calls on Catholic colleges and universities to work with diocesan educational leaders to prepare leaders for Catholic schools. In response, the Creighton University Education…

In 2010, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the Kindergarten Readiness Act into law, which changed the kindergarten entry age so that children must turn 5 by September instead of December to enroll. The new grade level was put into place to promote school readiness for California's youngest learners. It also established a new grade…

Discusses long-range strategic planning in schools. Argues that faculty, staff members, and students should comprise the planning committee, and a subcommittee should work with the school principal to monitor the implementation of plans. (JDI)