This brief is one in a series highlighting state policies, regulations, practices, laws, or other tools intended to create the necessary conditions for school and/or district turnaround. Each brief includes an overview of the relevant turnaround tool, its development process, its impact, and lessons learned that could assist other education…

Janet Begin's paper is based on the recognition and recent discussion of early childhood education in America. Her research touches on the challenges of implementing Montessori birth-to-six programs at Cornerstone Montessori School, Crossway Community Montessori School, East Dallas Community Schools, and Family Star Montessori School. She examines…

Across the country, states and districts are designing principal evaluation systems as a means of improving leadership, learning, and school performance. Principal evaluation systems hold potential for supporting leaders' learning and sense of accountability for instructional excellence and student performance. Principal evaluation also is an…

This article links research and practice through discussion of policy's conceptual aspects illustrated through real-world examples. Gifted education policy essentials, identification, curriculum and services, personnel preparation, and program management, assessment, and evaluation are described. Examples from studies of one state help the reader…

Many states are mandating reforms in university-sponsored principal preparation programs, but faculty and school system personnel often have concerns about the prescriptive nature of state mandates related to these reforms. Auburn University served as one of four pilot principal preparation program redesigns in Alabama, a process that took over…

This guide is designed as a reference for District and School personnel working with English learners (ELs). The content of the guide represents a compilation of information, examples, and resources. This guide is a living document and subject to frequent updates. It is recommended to review the document online rather than printing a hard copy.

In this article, the authors describe a case in which school district officials used state regulations for new teacher mentoring programs as justification to cut funding and incrementally dismantle a model program. (Contains 1 table.)

This paper considers noncredit instruction in the California Community College System. It identifies three related concepts: a state need for increased levels of education that noncredit instruction is well placed to supply, several changes that begin to facilitate that response, and additional changes that are needed to ensure success. The…

To address key policy and programmatic questions and help improve student and system performance, states must work to link data across the early childhood, postsecondary and workforce (P-20/workforce) spectrum and share this information with appropriate stakeholders. This issue brief highlights current efforts in California, Florida, Indiana, and…

This guide has been developed to assist Ohio school districts in completing the requirements of Ohio legislation on the identification and services for children who are gifted. It includes instructions for developing and submitting a service plan for children who are gifted and a fiscal estimate of the plan. The guide corresponds with a Web site…

This manual is designed to assist Minnesota school districts in implementing surrogate parent programs under federal law (the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) and federal and state regulations. An introduction notes that Minnesota special education rules expand on the federal law by clarifying what school districts must do, including…

Citizens can play an important role in helping their states develop pollution control programs and spurring effective efforts to deal with nonpoint-source pollution. This guide takes the reader step-by-step through the process that states must follow to comply with water quality legislation relevant to nonpoint-source pollution. Part I provides…

Three review formats are enclosed in this publication, along with two basic service checklists and a comprehensive program review guide. These formats were developed to serve as tools to be used locally by school district personnel and Boards of Education in the development of quality policies and procedures to serve homeless children and youth.…

This paper examines regulatory reform initiatives being considered and adopted in several states for the deregulation of academic program policies in public institutions of higher education. Many policymakers feel that academic program policies, which were designed to control growth and temper institutional aspirations, may instead hinder…

This paper analyzes data from a 1998 survey of state academic officers that covered state policies related to distance education technology. Concerning general planning issues, the survey found most respondents rated "overall coordination and planning" as highly important, and that 22 states have a formal technology plan in place (Web…