This third volume in the series provides a systematic description of the situation of teachers and trainers in vocational education and training (VET) in five European countries: Austria, Belgium, Hellas/Greece, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. Each country report begins with an outline of the national context--the country's geographical features…

This fourth volume in the series provides a systematic description of the situation of teachers and trainers in vocational education and training (VET) in five European countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. Each country report begins with an outline of the national context--the country's geographical features and the…

This pamphlet describes the educational rights of parents provided under provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, including the amendments of 1997. It discusses rights in the following areas: (1) free appropriate public education; (2) prior notice to parents, including a list of the information required to be in a notice that…

In North Carolina, legislation giving health insurance to children of modest-income working families was won because a broad coalition of over 100 organizations got the attention of lawmakers. Because all children benefitted, rural children benefited, but a few groups pushing for health insurance for just rural children would not have gotten their…

This handbook provides state legal regulations for Washington State special education services and programs for students with disabilities. It includes requirements that address the following areas: (1) general authority and purpose of the requirements; (2) students' rights; (3) general definitions; (4) child find; (5) evaluation procedures; (6)…

This book is designed to help undergraduate and graduate students begin a discussion about the technicalities, politics, and ethics surrounding qualitative research, focusing on research in the interest of social justice. It offers a view of how two researchers have conceptualized their own research process and renders problematic many of the…

This book is intended to help managers coach individuals and groups; assess current performance; develop a coaching plan; keep track of whether their coaching is having the right effect; and learn how to motivate and communicate effectively. Chapters 1-3 establish what coaching is; who can coach; and who can be coached. Chapter 4 lays coaching out…

This study investigated who preservice teachers considered responsible for the moral development of their students. The study involved a qualitative examination of the journal responses of 30 preservice teachers to two questions: the extent to which schools are moral environments and the extent to which it is the teacher's responsibility to foster…

The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) recognizes tribes' rights to exercise authority over the welfare of Native American children. Although the ICWA was passed more than 20 years ago, its implementation in Minnesota has been uneven. A conference was held to rectify that situation, and these proceedings provide, among other things, information on…

Intended to be a practical guide to the issues that arise under the First Amendment for libraries that provide public access to the Internet, this book contains the following chapters: (1) "Questions and Answers about the First Amendment: Sex, Lies, and Cyberspace"; (2) "Basic First Amendment Principles and Their Application to…

The concept of school culture offers principals and other leaders a broader framework for understanding problems and relationships within the school. School culture can be defined as the historically transmitted patterns of meaning that include the norms, values, beliefs, and myths understood by members of the school community. Researchers have…

This brief for parents discusses the transition of students with disabilities from the structured environment of school to the post-school world and transition requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1997. It begins by explaining the importance of transition planning and decision-making and the need for…

This guide for policymakers at all levels illuminates common ground between education reform and service learning and encourages the inclusion of service learning as a viable partner in education reform efforts. Leading school reform models are analyzed with a focus on their compatibility with service learning. Also included is a description of…

Lois Lowry's award-winning novel, "The Giver," chronicles the strength of Jonas, an adolescent boy of 12 who lives in a utopian society. In the Community everyone is equal, and there is only a gray routine of existence. But Jonas is singled out by "The Giver," a wise old man who teaches Jonas the range of human emotions, and…

Many urban school districts face persistent problems of low student achievement, high staff turnover, and demands for greater accountability. Confronted by such problems, Jefferson County (Kentucky) Public Schools and the Corpus Christi (Texas) Independent School District participated in a multi-year project to strengthen instructional leadership…