New York City's SuperStart Plus and Kindergarten Plus programs provide a developmentally appropriate learning environment that encourages both general- and special-education children's language, cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development. Teachers integrate multicultural and English-as-a-Second-Language strategies into their teaching.…

Kentucky's ungraded Primary School Program is defined by seven critical attributes: developmentally appropriate educational practices, multiage/multiability classrooms, continuous progress, authentic assessments, qualitative reporting methods, professional teamwork, and positive parent involvement. This article explains these attributes,…

Dissatisfied with their present parent-teacher conference format, an Iowa middle school perused the literature on student-led conferences and established three program implementation phases: initial preparations, conferences, and evaluations. Students selected portfolio items, decided what to discuss with parents, and rehearsed the conference…

Describes three typical scenarios in which distance education (DE) is used. Defines elements of DE and provides a rationale for its implementation. Discusses important trends in DE related to technology (i.e., advances in signal transporting and communication systems) and to pedagogy and andragogy (i.e., instructional design and planning for…

Explores implications for evaluation practice of using five different perspectives on organizations, drawing on the four models of social program implementation developed by R. F. Elmore (1978). It is argued that evaluation will only really be effective when its focus, methods, and management reflect realistic assumptions about how organizations…

Studies of seven school-sponsored programs conducted by the Harvard Family Research Project and the National Association of State Boards of Education found various innovative approaches to early childhood education. This article describes four major success strategies: organizing an early childhood unit; creating child-centered classrooms;…

The planning process is essential when implementing a Big6 Skills instruction program. First, identify what actually occurs in the classroom and school; next, analyze the data and create plans. A completed Skills by Unit Matrix (sample included) can be used both as a planning tool and as documentation of what took place. (Author/AEF)

This article presents a practical plan for improving reading comprehension and reader self-efficacy in grades 4-12 through transactional strategies instruction. Three phases of instruction are described and specific instructional strategies are provided. Suggestions for implementation and for evaluation of instruction effectiveness are also…

Principals desiring to develop a school-uniform policy should involve parents, teachers, community leaders, and student representatives; beware restrictions on religious and political expression; provide flexibility and assistance for low-income families; implement a pilot program; align the policy with school-safety issues; and consider legal…

States that Central Community College (Nebraska) has taken the lead in many business, industry, and educational collaborations. Two models are described: (1) the development and implementation of a collaborative team; and (2) team approaches that allow for substantial increases in funding and full-time equivalents while serving business and…

Focuses on lessons educators might learn from the Intensified Campaign for the Global Eradication of Smallpox. Outlines the history of smallpox eradication. Discusses the eradication effort's obstacles, campaign, and costs and benefits. Considers five factors relevant to the successful implementation of educational programs. (CMK)

Describes the Japan-Florida Teens Meet Project, an international program linking students at a Florida high school and a Japanese high school. Students were encouraged to e-mail their partners daily. The program also involved videoconferencing, a dollar/yen conversion exercise, and construction of space-station scale models. (MLH)

Presents guiding questions developed by the U.S. Department of Education's Technology Planning Task Force. Questions revolve around creating a vision of learning, using technology to support the mission, developing a supportive infrastructure, understanding the plan's context, garnering public support, and implementing and evaluating the plan.…

A questionnaire was used to assess the extent to which the Nigerian university sector has adjusted its sports ethos to Nigerian national sports policy objectives. Data indicated that universities have been negligent in promoting and monitoring their sports development projects. (EV)

Discusses the ways implementing the Carnegie Corporation's "Turning Points" principles can revitalize middle school reform and improve student outcomes. Considers the web of educational principles that constitutes these recommendations and the role of communities, teachers, and students in implementing them. (JPB)