This document is a 5-year plan designed to improve the overall service and performance of Iowa community colleges. The plan emphasizes how the Iowa system values maintaining an open-door policy, responding quickly to students, the community, and industry needs, and collaborating with different educational and business sectors. Four major strategic…

This issue focuses on a variety of performance measurement and outcome data resources as they relate to evaluating service delivery performance in areas that include employment (welfare-to-work and performance bonuses for work participation) and child welfare, as well as some general Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program areas. It also…

International Literacy Day (ILD) has been celebrated since 1967 and has been the focus of learning festivals held over the years by different countries to recognize adult learners across the world. This guide was developed to strengthen ILD, to share the experiences of educators from around the world who have seen the value of using promotional…

This professional development guide is designed for educators who work with secondary students who are struggling in reading and writing and who need intensive, individualized instruction to improve their skills. Examples of students for whom this guide is intended include: students with disabilities, English language learners, and low-achieving…

This professional development guide focuses on the Viewing and Representing strands of the TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) and includes the areas of interpretation analysis and production, which help students in grades four through twelve become critical consumers, and capable producers, of media. The guide includes mini-lessons,…

Connemara, a rural region in Ireland, is characterized by high unemployment, high emigration, poor infrastructure, inadequate public services, and a low rate of transfer to third-level education. To address the situation, the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT), joined forces with Connemara West (a community-owned development organization…

This document describes the Advanced Technology Center (ATC) at Hagerstown Community College (HCC) (Maryland), created in 1990 as a response to the region's economic decline. The ATC is a partnership between the College, industry, and government to help promote industrial modernization and regional competitiveness through training, demonstration,…

This report, the third derived from research out of the National Faith-Based Initiative (NFBI), examines how faith-based organizations designed and implemented mentoring programs for high-risk youth. Focusing on four NFBI sites (in the Bronx and Brooklyn, NY; Baton Rouge, LA; and Philadelphia, PA), the report takes up three key questions: How were…

A growing body of evidence confirms what makes sense intuitively--quality matters for participation in after school programs. Nationwide, a chief concern among after school stakeholders is programming for middle schoolers--too "old" to be told what to do after school and too "young" to be left home alone. A national dialogue about the state of…

This document, intended to assist Australia's national industry training advisory bodies, is a practical guide to developing English language, literacy, and numeracy inclusive national training packages. The guide is divided into three sections devoted to the following topics: (1) context (literacy in the workplace, literacy in training, literacy…

This paper provides cross-site policy analysis of themes related to state education reform and the impact of state educational reforms on students with disabilities and special education programs. It analyzes state-level reforms in the general education policy areas of curriculum, assessment, accountability, teacher development, and governance and…

This document explains the objectives and components of California Work Opportunities and Responsibility for Kids (CalWORKs), which is a seven-step program designed to move welfare parents into the workplace. Presented first are a list of the 14 principles behind CalWORKs and a flowchart illustrating the program's operation. After a discussion of…

This starter kit is a resource for state and local school-to-work (STW) directors, educators, parents, students, business and community, and economic development organizations serving all students through STW. The kit begins with four articles: "STW and Gender Equity: Opportunity for or Barrier to Economic Parity?" (Katherine Hanson, Joyce…

A baseline study of Arizona public school counselors ascertained the amount of time they spent individually with students and the nature of the counseling provided; it also measured their opinions and attitudes toward school-to-work (STW). Surveys were mailed to every Arizona high school and junior high/middle school, a random sample of elementary…

The Foundation for Excellent Schools (FES) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of American public education through programs designed to increase opportunities and improve the academic performance of all students by bringing together educators, students, parents, and the local business community. Since 1987, the FES and…