To shed light on how states can use school performance data to support failing schools, the present study examined a subset of underperforming schools in South Carolina in the wake of a series of state-supported interventions. The study, part of a comprehensive evaluation of the South Carolina External Review Team Program, made extensive use of…

The purpose of this guide is to help experienced professional developers and others organize and conduct professional development that trains facilitators of National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL) study circles. Promoters of the study circle facilitators training should be experienced trainers. This guide includes…

This Handbook brings together theoretical and empirical research on purposes, policies and practices of teachers' continuing professional development (CPD) over the last twenty years. It provides a unique collection of regional writing from key professionals in different regions of the world, featuring: (1) A review of current CPD literature; (2)…

An experimental study tested a model for enhancing mathematics instruction in five high school career and technical education (CTE) programs (agriculture, auto technology, business/marketing, health, and information technology). The model consisted of a pedagogy and intense teacher professional development. Volunteer CTE teachers were randomly…

This invited research report was presented in August 2003 to a science education conference convened by the Atlantic Provinces Committee on the Sciences. Based on 20 interviews and documentary information from the Departments of Education of the Provinces of Newfoundland & Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, this…

Hugh Burkett, director of The Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement, recently was asked to give the keynote speech at On the Right Track 4, an annual school improvement symposium for California school practitioners. In this month's newsletter, Dr. Burkett shares highlights from his remarks. He sets forth six things that should…

This study, which updates a report prepared by the Commission in 2000, examines the capacity of teacher preparation programs at Maryland colleges and universities to increase their production of new teachers. The study analyzes both the supply and demand aspects of the capacity issue in Maryland. On the supply side, it looks at the intended majors…

The sample assessment items in this volume are sorted according to the strands of number and operations, algebra, geometry, measurement, and data analysis and probability. Because one goal of assessment is to determine students' abilities to communicate mathematically, the writing team suggests ways to extend or modify multiple-choice and…

In 1998 the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics held a working conference on issues pertaining to effective mathematics education in schools serving poor communities. This paper reprises some themes of that conference and highlights potentially important issues to consider in a research agenda with an intentional focus on rural mathematics…

This book is intended to provide guidance to governing boards and CEOs in the development of successful and effective employment agreements. It is intended to help a community college president and a board of trustees to develop job security and confidence for the president, clear expectations and a meaningful evaluation system, and exit…

This document presents data from the 2002 Accountability Program Review of Parkland College, Illinois. The data, for fiscal years 1997-2001, is presented in tables, and is divided into three parts: (1) Program Review Summaries. This section offers data covering student headcounts, attempted credit hours, and percentage of completers. The section…

American Memory is a Web site created by the Library of Congress which provides public access to more than 7 million historical items, presented in over 100 thematic collections through the World Wide Web. These items reflect the collective American memory, its history and culture, and include unique and rare documents, photographs, films, and…

A technology professional development initiative was launched in a school district with the goal of extending technology use in the classroom. For teachers to teach expertly, the aim was for them to "be the technology" by modeling technology use in the classroom, applying technology across the curriculum, applying technology to…

In this paper, the general principles and practices adopted as guidelines to a graduate course for secondary mathematics teachers are discussed. It is argued that once the curriculum is designed both to complement the teachers' subject content knowledge and to provide activities promoting links between their conceptual knowledge and their actual…

We describe a large-scale urban school initiative aimed at teachers' professional development with the goal of increasing teachers' mathematics content knowledge and helping them improve their practice. Believing that the formation of professional communities of teachers is crucial in supporting teachers trying to implement changes in their…