Many paraeducators have no formal education beyond high school and are provided with minimal training once on the job. Furthermore, as more schools turn to inclusionary practices, the impetus for highly qualified paraeducators becomes more important. However, little research has examined efficient ways to train paraeducators who work in inclusive…

This study evaluated an adolescent depression in-service training for school staff in the United States. A total of 252 school staff (e.g., teachers, principals, counselors) completed assessments prior to and following the in-service and a subsample of these staff participated in focus groups following the in-service and three months later.…

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the perceptions of certified support staff at a Georgia middle school, focusing on their opinions of Professional Learning Communities (PLC), the roles they played in PLCs and the effect PLCs had on their professional practices. This descriptive case study utilized open-ended interviews,…

Educators must take a critical look at all factors that may affect student outcomes. The No Child Left Behind Legislation (NCLB) was proposed to help ensure that all students have fair and equal access to educational programming. It is important for secondary school educators to be aware of environmental factors that may inhibit student success.…

Staff development is the key to middle school effectiveness, and this article lists characteristics of an effective staff development program, examples of activities and topics, and questions for program evaluation. (DCS)

The Appalachia Educational Laboratory designed and implemented a long-term staff development program to increase and sustain teacher knowledge of and use of classroom questioning techniques to produce higher levels of student learning. Evaluations from 41 middle and secondary schools establishing the effectiveness of this program are reported .…

Argues that providing leadership and opportunities for staff members to become more effective in their jobs are the primary responsibilities of a school principal. Offers a number of suggestions for use in staff development. (FL)

Project AAPT: Alcohol Abuse Prevention Training was developed in response to the pervasive problem of alcohol abuse by young people. The goals of Project AAPT were to establish, expand, and enhance programs for the training of educational personnel that emphasize the involvement and cooperation of the family, school, and community in alcohol abuse…

The perspectives of three rural middle school principals as they implement Georgia's A Plus Education Reform Act of 2000 were investigated in this study. A case study approach was used, employing both within case and cross case analyses. Three interviews were conducted with each of the three participants, resulting in a total of nine interviews.…

This final report describes activities and accomplishments of the Elementary and Middle Schools Technical Assistance Center, which developed and evaluated a technical assistance model using a linking agent approach in which a school district professional or team was trained and supported to implement a change process cycle to effect improved…

An external evaluation of the Torrance (California) Unified School District's transitional bilingual education program for limited-English-speaking Chinese, Japanese, and Korean middle school students is reported. The project focused on four areas including: instruction; staff development, materials, and parent involvement and education. An…

Intended as a guidebook for middle level educators as they seek to institute educational experiences appropriate to the adolescents in their programs, this book discusses the issues and assets of middle school education in rural settings. Chapter 1 of the book is an introduction, discussing the concept of middle school as applied to small rural…

The federally funded Model Development Program of Bilingual Education served 385 students at one elementary and one middle school in Manhattan (New York) in 1992-93, its third year of operation. Participants included 168 native Spanish-speaking, limited-English-proficient (LEP) students and 217 English-proficient (EP) students, both…

At a small, northeastern suburban elementary school, the records used to characterize the skills and to anticipate the needs of the diverse students in transition (between grades, school levels, or special to regular education programs) did not provide receiving teachers an effective assessment of current performance levels; nor was there adequate…

The Division of Continuing Education of Bank Street College of Education (BSCE) in New York City is working to change the lives of inner city children, their families, and communities by emphasizing collaboration. During the 1994-95 academic year, the division served more than 3,900 adults and children, 15 agencies, and 30 schools through the…