To scale up and sustain the use of evidence-based practices, it is imperative that state education agencies systematically implement professional development that represents best practice. By delivering quality professional development to local districts, it is more likely that transition personnel will implement transition programs and practices…

Recently, consensus among researchers and professionals has emerged about factors that contribute to postschool success of youth with disabilities. Prominent among these factors are targeted academic preparation, family involvement, youth empowerment, and service collaboration and linkages. Work experience and paid employment have been identified…

Addresses four questions concerning the use of instructional television (ITV): Is the use of ITV punishing to the user? Is a teacher rewarded for not using ITV? Does it make any difference to a teacher whether ITV is used? Are there obstacles that prevent a teacher from using ITV? (Author/IRT)

Describes a six-step process for conducting a needs assessment in the schools. The approach is feasible and inexpensive as it allows each school to develop its own instrument. (Author/IRT)

Teams can boost creativity, morale, and communication, but they can also unleash disharmony, create tension, and waste time. To maximize teaming benefits, administrators must share authority, cultivate teacher leadership, train all team members, use situational leadership, model effective team leader behaviors, provide incentives, support each…

This guide is designed to assist school systems in developing and/or using occupational/craft committees in support of public school vocational-technical education programs in Maryland. The guide is organized in two parts. Part I outlines the steps needed to organize an occupational/craft committee: rationale and benefits, functions, steps in…

The behavior-audit concept was developed in 1992 to help teachers organize their thoughts, beliefs, and concerns before a seriously disturbed student returned from an off-campus setting. Over 100 Minnesota schools and districts have conducted behavior audits to get fundamental agreement on what works or needs improvement in student behavior. (MLH)

This handbook on cooperative education is intended as a how-to manual designed specifically for the administrators who assume responsibility for implementing the cooperative method. Contents include program descriptions and information on the basic elements of cooperative education. The minimum elements of a written plan for the implementation and…

This booklet is designed to assist teachers and/or coordinators of vocational/technical programs in the organization and operation of local advisory councils. It contains guidelines, directions, and sample materials that can be appropriately modified as the situation requires. Contents include a description of the purpose of advisory councils and…

Provides 10 guidelines to follow in implementing a competency-based curriculum. The guidelines include not imposing the program from above, matching measurement devices to instructional goals, stimulating student support of the program, and allowing for easy adjustment of competency measures. (IRT)

This document provides information on a Full-Time Vocational Training Program (FTVTP), which is intended to keep students in school or allow dropouts to reenter in a vocational setting. The philosophy and purpose of the FTVTP are presented. The program's purpose is to enable dropouts to return to school in a full-day vocational program, be…

This technical assistance handbook is designed to serve local educators, vocational education administrators, and advisory committee members as a guide and an initial source of information in the establishment and maintenance of local advisory committees. The handbook highlights the policies and procedures of the Idaho State Division of Vocational…

The author, who took a performing arts tour of Japan with 35 junior high students and seven adults, provides some tips to other music educators intending such a venture. Discussed are goals and objectives, getting things started, maintaining the pace, logistics, and final organization. (RM)

Based on his experience with the Copernican block scheduling plan used in British Columbia secondary schools, a principal identifies administrative challenges (abuse of tutorial time, uneven distribution of teacher-preparation time, teacher fatigue, pedagogical changes, and unrealistic expectations) and suggests ways to address them. Involving…

For beginning principals, delegation is an important skill and an effective way to learn about staff members. After defining the school's strengths and weaknesses, a principal can set concise, realistic goals and communicate them to the school community. A general blueprint for action (including communication, assessment, planning, and…