Seven years after the state began funding preschool programs in 102 low-income New Jersey districts; two-thirds of eligible 4-year-olds are enrolled in these programs, according to a survey conducted by the Association for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ). Preschool enrollment in these districts has steadily increased, jumping nearly 10 percent in…

At a time when the ongoing effort to reform public education in the United States is strongly influenced by requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), policymakers and education leaders at all levels are focused on improving student achievement in math and reading. Emphasis on these two areas, however, is generating concern among…

When the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges compiled best practices for serving basic skills students in 2002-2003, assessment practices were notably absent. In this paper, problems with current assessment and placement practices with regards to basic skills are explored. The paper begins with a review of the matriculation process…

An inclusive, learning-friendly environment (ILFE) welcomes, nurtures, and educates all children regardless of their gender, physical, intellectual, socio-economic, emotional, linguistic and other characteristics. "Inclusive" in the school setting generally refers to the inclusion or children with disabilities into regular classrooms designed for…

This report identifies barriers to developing livable communities and sheds light on potential methods for overcoming these barriers. It identifies and highlights multiple strategies that may be applied to the design and support of livable community principles. The identified strategies have been initiated by federal and state government agencies…

In 1995, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in collaboration with state and local education and health agencies, developed the School Health Profiles (Profiles) to measure health education practices and some school health policies. Using input from education and health agencies, Profiles evolved to provide a more comprehensive…

This issue of "Diversity Digest" contains articles and resources focused on the lasting lessons, legacies, and spirit of the 1954 "Brown v. Board of Education" decision. This year of the fiftieth anniversary, filled with ceremonies, celebrations, and commemorations of that decision has highlighted many well known and lesser…

This document contains data and characteristics of the Illinois public community college system and is designed to serve as a basic reference. No analysis of the data is intended in this document. The data are obtained from various surveys and studies conducted by Illinois Community College Board (ICCB). staff and from the colleges' annual MIS…

If one mantra dominates the field of workforce development, it is partnership and collaboration: the need to link disparate training providers and colleges, to better connect employers with training courses and to unite public and private sector funding. The need for partnership is clear, but all the rhetoric and legislative mandates supporting…

This report is the summary of key aspects of Tech Prep in Illinois over the five year period of 2001-2005 during which all Tech Prep consortia provided annual data based on federal legislative requirements and state-determined essential elements of successful programs. These annual Tech Prep reports enable local educators to monitor student…

This study synthesizes current research regarding the nature of the achievement gap in Washington State, root causes and conditions perpetuating the gap, and strategies for closing the gap. It emphasizes the gap between white students and students of color and between students from more affluent backgrounds and their lower-income counterparts.…

Building on the strengths and shortcomings of modernist views of organizations and leadership, this discursive paper enters the national conversation among scholars and practitioners about what constitutes the core of their knowledge and practice. It provides a discussion of three national themes about the core of educational…

Schools can have a tremendous impact on student achievement if they follow the direction provided by research. The book attempts to synthesize the research over the last 35 years that has provided clear and unprecedented insight into the nature of schooling. (It contains 601 references.) The book is organized into four sections. The first three…

A researcher surveyed 161 students in adult education math classes at four community colleges in Illinois and 13 adult education math teachers. Both groups were asked to complete the survey from the viewpoint of a student. The respondents were asked what should math classes teach; what kind of problems they most enjoy working on in class; whether…

Student-level data were collected in 5 states California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Iowa, and Oregon and analyzed to build understanding and improve the role of community colleges in adult education and literacy. The states illustrate the degree of diversity in governance systems and local provider systems and allow for comparative analyses by provider…