Two studies investigated the involuntary turnover of small-town school superintendents. The studies involved interviewing county superintendents and examining state financial records from Illinois. Results indicated that it was personal and political conflicts that most often dictated the high superintendent turnover (both voluntary and…

Explores whether faculty promotion criteria in schools, colleges, and departments of education (SCDE) take into account the level and pattern of faculty members' involvement in nine defined missions. Suggests that faculty members feel current promotion criteria are inflexible and Procrustean. Discusses a typology of promotion criteria and some…

Looks at students who move from a four-year to a two-year college in a process called reverse transfer. Categorizes these reverse transfer students, reviews what is known about their numbers, summarizes studies that describe the students and their experiences in the two-year colleges, and discusses institutional rationales for admitting them.…

Asserts that the postbaccalaureate transfer student (PRTS) represents a very different type of second-chance student for the community college. Analyzes the life circumstances, goals, and profiles of PRTSs in an urban North Carolina community college. Contains 11 references. (VWC)

Explores eight operational and public-policy challenges associated with increased numbers of reverse transfer students for higher-education institutional operations, college and university administration, state and federal government, and for students themselves. Strives to promote dialog and encourage the development of a thoughtful…

Reviews documents submitted to the ERIC database over the past decade demonstrating the complexity of issues arising from diversification of the transfer-student population. Enumerates some primary concerns regarding reverse transfer students: defining the population, understanding its demographics, tracking student progress, responding to unique…

Questions the multiculturalists' vision that an ethnic group's self-esteem and subsequent academic achievement can improve through the study of its culture. Cites the paucity of studies supporting the effectiveness of interventions to improve inter-ethnic group attitudes. Maintains that some multiculturalists are more interested in superficial…

This article describes the use of measures of functional assessment of essential activities in self-care, mobility, communication, and social cognition in preschool children. An overview of functional assessment is provided, and psychometric properties of the various tests are described. Case studies illustrate the value of using functional…

Analyzes recent occupational data and suggests that postsecondary educational credentials have varied effects on early-labor-force outcomes. Some credentials have greater value in the labor force than does an associate's degree, and their effects often differ for young men and for young women. Argues that this important data has often been…

A case study of an alternative middle school for at-risk students indicates that small, under-resourced schools cannot be expected to successfully serve students who have been rejected by the mainstream school system. Small alternative schools providing small class sizes and extra support for students require more, not less, funding. Commitment…

Contemporary sociology makes the case that the concepts of society and social structure are past their sell-by dates. Our world is marked by impermanence and social life is characterised by mobilities. Even self-identity has become liquid. Social actors use consumption artefacts and services to re-design themselves in ways that are commensurate…

The educational system in a multilingual society needs to reflect the authentic patterns of language use by the individuals in that society. A person who knows three or more languages presumably uses each of these languages in different contexts, for different purposes and at varying levels of proficiency. The school curriculum should aim at…

The current emphasis on educating children in the least restrictive environment has resulted in the use of physical restraint procedures across all educational placement settings, including public schools. Since its initial use, restraint has been controversial. Professionals who use physical restraint claim that it is necessary to safely manage…

"Teacher turnover," the number of teachers who leave a program during a year has numerous detrimental effects that can lower the quality of care received by children and families. High rates of teacher turnover, high child-to-adult ratios, and poorly trained staff characterize poor-quality child care in the United States. In fact, high…

This report presents findings from the second-year evaluation of the Governor's Educator Excellence Grant (GEEG) program. The GEEG program was federally- and state-funded and provided three-year grants to schools to design and implement performance pay plans from the 2005-06 to 2007-08 school years. GEEG was implemented in 99 high poverty, high…