The Division of Student Engagement and Enrollment Services at Old Dominion University (ODU) submitted a Request for Assistance to examine the challenges sophomore students face that can lead to attrition. A doctoral research team conducted a exploratory, sequential, mixed-methods study consisting of a literature review, focus groups and interviews…

In this article, Robert Honour, Training and Staff Development Manager, at the Fairfax, Virginia, Department of Family Services (DFS), reports on the outcome of "Healing Racism" training at his organization. Participants in "Healing Racism Institutes" are transforming relationships and creating an organizational culture that…

Recent violence in schools and on college campuses has brought into sharp focus the need to address mental health issues in educational settings. Getting students with mental health problems the help they need, without stigmatizing mental illness, may help prevent future tragedies. Children with mental health problems face a host of challenges,…

The Virginia Board of Education's "Student Conduct Policy Guidelines" were first developed in 1994 in response to action by the 1993 General Assembly requiring the Virginia Board of Education to establish such guidelines. In 2004, the "Guidelines" underwent a major revision in response to requirements of § 22.1-279.6. of the…

Given the challenges of time and economics in education today, what are practical models for creating adult learning communities that improve teaching and learning in today's diverse classrooms? How do Americans foster and nurture adult learning communities once they are established? The authors have found that carefully crafted partnerships…

This white paper examines the business case for environmental and sustainability (E&S) employee education and engagement. The "business case" is defined as both quantifiable measures of the business value for the sustainability program (e.g. money saved, energy use reduction, etc.) as well as less easily measurable assets such as…

Technology has become ubiquitous in society today. Outside of schools, the rate that technology is being used among children continues to increase every day. This has created a disconnect between schools and the technologically advanced environment many students experience when they get home. One result is that teachers are now being encouraged to…

School safety has become an important area of concern for school improvement. This study examined the effects of staff training as means of improving school responses to student threats of violence. A multidisciplinary sample of 351 staff from 2 school divisions completed pre-post training surveys as part of a 1-day training program using the…

Describes the technology education program implemented at all educational levels in the Loudoun County, Virginia, school system. Includes the mission statement, instructional objectives, and curriculum structure. (JOW)

An effective teacher must continue to learn, problem-solve, and respond to the evolving needs of his or her students. Ideally a culture of inquiry, reflection, and self-evaluation should develop. Voluntary inquiry-based reflection identifies problems and issues within a school and allows teachers and administrators to develop professional study…

Case study of effective staff-development practices in two high schools, two middle schools, and two elementary schools in Virginia. Finds that the practices teachers and principals believe contribute to scores on the state's high-stakes tests are the same among all schools. For example, there is strong emphasis on building effective small-group…

The Teachers as Readers (TAR) Project is a national program which helps teachers encourage children to become lifelong readers. TAR began as a pilot program in the state of Virginia in Spring 1992 as the Reading Initiative sponsored by the American Association of Publishers and the Virginia State Reading Association. The first TAR Project in…

A staff development model on the topic of mainstreaming was designed around three components: workshops, technical assistance, and program visitations. Evaluation data collected from each component indicated that feedback from the staff concerning the work of consultants needs to be shared with the principal. (JN)

School administrators, eager to raise student achievement levels to meet the requirements of President Bush's No Child Left Behind Act, are increasingly looking to staff development for the purpose of enhancing student achievement. How would it be possible for staff development to be more effective than it now is? Mountain View Alternative High…

Because the staffing formula mandated by Virginia's State Council of Higher Education yielded unrealistically low numbers of library personnel for the larger institutions and for multi-campus community colleges, the Subcommittee on Staffing of the Library Advisory Committee was charged with developing a more suitable formula. This report contains…