Studied the beliefs and practices of 31 teachers about classroom assessment and the Washington state assessment program. Data reveal teachers' preferences for multiple assessments, their objections to the state test for certain groups of students, and their preferences for specialized assessments respectful of student circumstances and readiness.…

The Geospatial Applications Program at the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC), located five miles west of downtown Baltimore, Maryland, provides comprehensive instruction in geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing and global positioning systems (GPS). Geospatial techniques, which include computer-based mapping and remote…

Most experts in the testing community have presumed that the $350 million promised by the U.S. Department of Education to support common assessments would promote those that made greater use of open-ended items capable of measuring higher-order critical-thinking skills. But as measurement experts consider the multitude of possibilities for an…

If early childhood systems are to be effective at the population level then they must be able to provide family-centered care to all the racial, ethnic and cultural groups that they serve. Despite major policy driven and technological advances in healthcare, health disparities across different races and ethnicities persist. For example, the infant…

This report outlines the national and state environmental context for the SECCS Initiative in supporting MCH strategic planning in early childhood systems building. This strategic context has implications for roles, relationships, and activities within a planning process and ultimately an implementation process. It summarizes the opportunities and…

This report describes the third year of Wisconsin's Integrated and Applied Curricula project. The mission was to provide information, technical assistance, and a summer conference to help expand team members' competencies in developing integrated and applied curricula, training of high school and technical college educators. The cadre of teachers…

Designed to provide a basis for sound child welfare policy decisions, this book presents current state and national data, as well as data from many cities and counties, on child maltreatment. The six chapters in the book present statistics on: (1) child abuse and neglect, including child abuse fatalities; (2) out-of-home care; (3) adoption; (4)…

A project was conducted to offer customized software to adult basic education (ABE) programs in Pennsylvania and to train the program participants on software customization principles. The project produced an updated list of software publishers and products that can be customized for adult education students. Workshops were presented on…

In order to assist states in developing model programs, this report examines the common characteristics and strengths of a number of state programs that coordinate social services for at-risk students and their families. After discussing the characteristics of at-risk children and their families, the report presents a comprehensive and…

A cornerstone of Mississippi's 1982 Education Reform Act, the Assistant Reading Instructor Program sought to improve basic skills acquisition by placing assistant reading instructors in primary grades. The program has not been effective in meeting its objectives. On standardized tests, students who had assistant reading instructors in the primary…

This publication provides information and application forms for alcohol and other drug abuse (AODA) funding. The contents include the following: Framework for Student Services, Prevention and Wellness; Abstracts of AODA Grants; Timetable for Grants; Criteria Applicable to all State AODA Grants; Criteria Specific to Aoda Program Grant; AODA…

Outcomes of 1990-91 Arizona At-Risk Pilot Project for grades K-3 and 7-12 are described in this third in a series of annual evaluation reports. The evaluation focuses on effective strategies in the context of the total school environment, examining both implementation processes and outcomes. Following an introduction, chapter 2 describes the…

Smart Start is North Carolina's partnership between state government and local leaders, service providers, and families to better serve children under six years and their families to ensure that all children start school healthy and prepared to succeed. Local Smart Start partnerships spent much of their first year formulating long-term plans,…

The Even Start Literacy Program addresses the basic educational needs of parents and children of low-income families by providing a unified program of: (1) adult basic or secondary education and literacy programs for parents; (2) assistance for parents to effectively promote their children's educational development; and (3) early childhood…

This report describes the development of programs for preschool children in Colorado through the cooperative efforts of public education, public and private community resources, and the Colorado Legislature. Sections of the report discuss service delivery models, program collaboration, identification and assessment of children and their families,…