Visual representations, such as pathway models, are increasingly being used to both communicate higher education science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education program evaluation plans as well as accurately represent complex programs and the systems within which the educational programs reside. However, these representations…

This brief examines the curricular policies and guidelines of the eighteen Preschool Development or Expansion Grantees. It explores how these states are addressing the curriculum-related requirements of the Preschool Development Grant (PDG) program. This brief clarifies the PDG requirements, discusses aspects of curriculum, and presents a snapshot…

Professional development is an important part of creating a culture of continuous school improvement to maximize student learning. Rarely do we measure the impact of professional development on teacher learning, implementation and student outcomes. This study describes a professional development strategy for elementary teachers to promote…

The Pittsburgh Promise is a scholarship program that provides $5,000 per year toward college tuition for public high school graduates in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania who earned a 2.5 GPA and a 90% attendance record. This study used a difference-in-difference design to assess whether the introduction of the Promise scholarship program directly…

Beginning in 2005, the GE Foundation initiated a commitment of expertise and financial resources to a set of urban school districts to improve public education and enhance student achievement in mathematics and science. This report analyzes the impacts of the GE Foundation commitment to the partner districts by examining trends in student…

This qualitative case study examined research exploring the role of a principal monitoring instruction during the implementation of a Readers Workshop model. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of an elementary school principal during the implementation of a Readers Workshop model and determine whether there was an affect on teaching…

The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) is working to respond to increased interest in the use of growth models for school accountability. Growth models are based on tracking change in individual student achievement scores over multiple years. While growth models have been used for decades in academic research and program evaluation, a…

The educational achievement and attainment of young people in the United States has been a long-standing issue of concern. While analyses of long-term trend data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) show that students in the United States have made gains in reading and mathematics over the past few decades, a sizeable…

In 1993, the Connecticut State Department of Education received federal support for the activities of nine existing Family Resource Centers (FRC) and for funding new FRCs. The FRCs were based on the premise that many childhood and adolescent problems can be prevented by strengthening effective family management practices and establishing a…

The report (in working draft form) of the Connecticut Task Force on Evaluation of Programs for the Gifted and Talented examines evaluation issues of product, process, and presage and provides samples of nonstandardized evaluation instruments being used in 21 local Connecticut gifted programs. Product evaluation is seen to focus on student…

The purpose of the practicum was to improve specific supervisory skills of the administrators in the Newington (Connecticut) public schools. The practicum was also intended to increase the amount of time spent by administrators in various categories of supervisory activities. Treatment included administrative focusing efforts, a planned and…

Intended for professional personnel involved in the education of artistically talented students, the document presents a rationale; a selection of the most appropriate identification practices and options that involve professional resource people and school personnel; appropriate curriculum and instructional strategies for talented students at all…

Summarizes the classroom and school literature on the effects of teacher expectations, proposes a school-based model for the influence of teacher expectations on student performance, and describes applications of the model in Connecticut's school improvement efforts. (RH)

Results of a recent cost analysis of bilingual education programs in Connecticut are presented, and the need for more accurate data on program costs is suggested. The study explored the feasibility of developing a statewide model to determine the cost of bilingual education. (Contains six references.) (LB)

This paper presents a service-learning approach to inner city revitalization that is grounded in a human capital model for economic development. The case study demonstrates how a private university became the catalyst for growth in an "at risk" neighborhood of an urban inner city. Our ongoing service-learning project, called The Upper…