American Institutes for Research (AIR) conducted an external evaluation of Vermont's Ed-Tech Program from January 2010-June 2011. The purpose of the evaluation was to provide feedback on the implementation and outcomes of the competitive grant programs that were active during this time. The findings of the evaluation are intended to help VTDOE…

This report summarizes findings from a two-year study of Chicago's Excellence in Teaching Pilot, which was designed to drive instructional improvement by providing teachers with evidence-based feedback on their strengths and weaknesses. The pilot consisted of training and support for principals and teachers, principal observations of teaching…

When the five-member Board of the Alameda Unified School District selected Kirsten Vital as the new superintendent in 2009, they chose someone from outside their tight-knit community. Board Trustee Margie Sherratt thought Vital was chosen to "get us moving," to be a change agent on closing the achievement gap. Vital, in her initial…

The purpose of this "Handbook" is to bolster the effective implementation of the intervention models and strategies outlined in the "2010 School Improvement Grant" (SIG) program--section 1003(g) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)--in order to achieve the program's clear goal--rapid improvement of persistently…

An old saying about learning that has been passed down from generation to generation in Vietnam states, "The success of learning is determined by intelligence but the passing of an examination is determined by luck." Whether this idea is simply to comfort those who fail or not, it sheds light on the Vietnamese psyche on learning as well…

Children living in poverty face many obstacles outside the classroom that can hinder their success in the classroom. Unaddressed health care needs interfere with learning and cause low attendance. Inadequate and inconsistent housing may deprive students of a safe and quiet place to study. The advent of accountability-based school reform has pushed…

The Southeastern Regional Vision for Education (SERVE) provides information on re-designing curriculum and instruction in schools, re-defining roles and responsibilities of school staffs, and promoting changes to address the needs of the Southeast's growing and diverse student population. SERVE offers a series of publications entitled "Hot…

This document describes programs implemented in the DeKalb County (Georgia) school system that attempt to remediate at-risk status and prevent students from becoming at-risk. DeKalb's programs focus on improved academics and social and emotional well-being. The programs target children as young as 4 years of age, but continue through elementary…

A 5-year intensive program was designed and implemented to study Black and Hispanic achievement in 152 public schools in Montgomery County (Maryland). The focus was upon achievement in mathematics and reading/language arts, and Black and Hispanic participation in gifted/talented, honors, and extracurricular activities. The intent was to develop…

In this monograph, a description is given of the activities of the "An Upper Secondary School For All" (Swedish abbreviation: GFA) program which has been operating in Swedish schools during the 1980s. A discussion is presented on how a number of upper secondary schools are working on the complex problem of giving as many youngsters as…

The historical development of inservice teacher education is traced in this paper and some comparisons are made between past and present school circumstances that bear on inservice practices. Eleven traditional methods of inservice teacher education are briefly described: (1) institutes; (2) reading circles; (3) summer school; (4) supervision; (5)…

The Ford Foundation's City High School Recognition Program (conducted in l982-83), was designed to find, document, and recognize the overall progress made in recent years by inner city high schools that previously had been failing. Through a blend of $l,000 recognition awards and $20,000 project grants, the program sought to reinforce the most…

This overview of teacher inservice education in Sweden has been complied with particular focus on the role of teacher inservice education (INSET) within the school development context. The term INSET refers to short-cycle training inputs, which tend to be of a general nature, e.g., social development, working methods in the classroom or…

This practicum concentrated on the need for a social studies critical thinking continuum in the middle school. An oral interview with personnel in one Florida school district's Social Studies Program Development Department revealed that a critical thinking continuum did not exist. A review of the literature on critical thinking indicated that many…

The primary, secondary, and higher education textbooks used in China today date from the late 1970s which makes them inadequate for the current stress on science and technology in education. While 70 percent of the higher education textbooks are mimeographed, unedited manuscripts, the majority of published books are printed on newsprint quality…