The Southwest Regional Advisory Committee (RAC) is one of ten regional committees appointed by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to conduct an assessment of the technical assistance needs of educators, parents, and students in the region. During the period between December 2004 and March 2005 this committee, which includes…

This report addresses the challenges and needs of the Western Region around No Child Left Behind (NCLB) implementation. It is imperative to note that the Western Region has more Title I and English Language Learners (ELL) students than any other region in the nation. This report will be submitted to the US Department of Education in developing a…

The Oregon Department of Education is required by the U.S. Department of Education to establish targets for expected rates of growth for every school in order to close the achievement gap. The Oregon Department of Education will work in partnership with key partners such as ESDs, universities, community-based organizations, and professional…

This document includes comments on the adult provisions of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), informed by research conducted with employers, employer organizations, and others on the strengths and weaknesses of the current workforce development system from the perspective of employers and low-wage, low-skill employees. Jobs for the Future is…

Although committed to the core goals of the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) advocates that flaws remain in the law and its implementation in the areas of: (1) Accountability, Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) and Assessments; (2) Teacher Quality; (3) Paraprofessionals; (4) School Improvement and Public…

Many education agencies feel an enormous strain to meet the federal mandate that all teachers be highly qualified. State and local policies must be established that address effective ways to hire, train, support, and retain teachers who meet the standards specified in the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation. To help policymakers with the…

This brief is written for the practitioners: teachers, teacher trainers, curriculum writers, and program administrators who work with adult English language students in English as a second language (ESL) classes or in mixed adult basic education ABE classes (with native English speakers and English language learners). If educators are not…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) Bush Spending Plan Cuts Education by 0.9 Percent Overall: $1.5 Billion Plan for High Schools Paid for Through Cuts…

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) and other recent changes in federal legislation have placed greater emphasis on accountability in large-scale testing. Included in this emphasis are regulations that require assessments to be accessible. States are accountable for the success of all students, and tests should be designed in a way that…

In commencing this Hearing, the Honorable Michael N. Castle, Chairman, Subcommittee on Education Reform, Committee on Education and the Workforce, states that Head Start is a good program that can be made stronger. He acknowledges that, despite the many success stories in the program, the Subcommittee has also heard troubling stories about program…

Senator Edward Kennedy, from the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, submitted this report in accompaniment to United States Senate Bill 2969 (S. 2969), which was introduced by Senator Kennedy and Senator Gregg on September 19, 2002. S. 2969 provides for an office within the Department of Education to conduct high quality research…

This consumer guide, for the first time ever, provides comparative ratings on the effectiveness and quality of seven widely adopted Education Service Providers (ESPs)--nonprofit or for-profit organizations that contract with new or existing public, charter, or private schools and/or school districts to provide comprehensive services. This report…

Meeting the demanding requirements of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) falls most heavily on the school principal. A variety of credible studies prove that schools with good library programs have students who do better academically as measured by standardized test scores. Administrators may not be aware that they have a powerful ally in the school…

The Education Commission of the States (ECS) recently conducted analyses, interviews and a survey for a study designed to identify the most pressing early learning issues facing policymakers. The goal was to hear both from those who are faced with making decisions and from those who are on the ground conducting research and developing programs. To…

The Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) program guarantees loans for postsecondary education to students and their parents at a limited interest rate. However, limiting borrowers' rates creates a danger that lenders will not be willing to participate in the program if their costs of financing and servicing the loans exceed the interest rates they…