This report is a formative evaluation of the YouthBuild Demonstration Project that began in 1991 and ended in 1994. The YouthBuild Model, developed in earlier programs, was directed at young people who were largely disconnected from schools and jobs. Major components of the project were counseling, academic remediation with preparation for the…

This monograph discusses a project involving 246 teachers that investigated a Staff Development Model (SDM) and a Research-Based Assessment Plan (RAP) for their potential to improve the identification and education of gifted students from economically disadvantaged families, some of whom have limited proficiency in the English language. The…

Despite substantial research on children's literacy performance outside school, relatively few studies have examined the classroom context of writing development, and even fewer have considered the relationship between general classroom discourse and writing. This paper presents an ecological framework for studying the relation between classroom…

This book on ethics in higher education examines the current condition of faculty isolation and organizational fragmentation, and the concomitant "insistent individualism" at many institutions. A philosophical model that reflects the academy in its current state is suggested, along with an alternative relational model that involves creation of an…

This paper addresses classroom teachers' influence on children's literary learning in families. The challenge of working with families has sometimes been ignored in the past, leading in effect to parental exclusion. An alternative approach can be based on some key ideas. A broad concept of family literacy and an expanded concept of literacy…

The language of a literate classroom is profoundly impacted by that which is included, excluded, ignorantly condoned, and perpetually presented with distortions. The article analyzes seven comprehensive frameworks: (1) diverse voices; (2) identities of the language users; (3) present and absent curriculum; (4) cognitive structures influencing…

The Rural Educational Environment (REE) is a complex mixture of demographic and economic forces that interact to impact the rural school corporation. The condition of REE financial and human capital indicates REE health and may influence student performance on standardized tests. This paper proposes an ecosystem model of the impact of financial,…

This book's 14 chapters provide models of conflict management and practical guidance for those working in institutions of higher education. The chapters are: (1) "What's It All About? Conflict in Academia" (Susan A. Holton); (2) "Administration in an Age of Conflict" (Gerald Graff); (3) "The Janus Syndrome: Managing Conflict from the Middle"…

This book shows the advantages of Rasch measurement (G. Rasch) for school district testing programs. The results of Rasch methods are contrasted with conventional statistics for assessing student responses to basic skills testing. Chapter 1 shows how the Rasch probability-based method produces measures that are more useful for students, parents,…

This paper discusses some theories and models of school-community relationships, especially those implied by the coordinated or collaborative services movement, which represents the effort to coordinate activities of schools and other human services agencies serving children and families, especially those at risk. Questions of the relative roles…

The Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) of the National Center for Education Statistics offers the most comprehensive picture available of elementary and secondary schools in the United States. The value of the SASS would be even greater if information on districts and schools could be related directly to student outcomes. A relatively inexpensive…

The 1987-88 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) looked at a national sample of elementary and secondary public and private schools. Components of the SASS, a data collection effort of the National Center for Education Statistics, were surveys of teacher demand and shortage, schools, administrators, and teachers. Approximately 13,000 schools and…

This policy brief discusses legislative efforts to create separate, alternative schools for students with behavior problems. The first section of the brief identifies the following three problems with placing disruptive students in alternative schools: (1) a focus on problem students may obscure or ignore real problems in the educational system;…

This book is intended to help college faculty effectively design and evaluate courses and curricula. The 16 chapters address the following topics: a learning-centered approach to course and curriculum design; a systematic design model (showing benefits); the decision to begin a curriculum project; getting started; linking goals, courses, and…

Intended for community college administrators, governing boards, and other leaders interested in strengthening their institutions and communities, this monograph chronicles the experiences of five pilot colleges implementing the community-based programming (CBP) model of the Academy for Community College Leadership Advancement, Innovation, and…