To keep pace with accelerating technology and workplace expectations, high school and technology center students need access to high-level programs and courses that open the doors to further education and careers. The Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) and nine states have launched a far-reaching program to provide rigorous and relevant…

These "Stories From the Field" describe five Wallace-funded programs working to expand learning and enrichment for disadvantaged children, so they can benefit from the types of opportunities their wealthier counterparts have access to, from homework help to swimming classes. The report details each program's approach, successes and…

Countless reports have analyzed the impact of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 on teacher quality and student achievement. What many of these reports truly leave behind, however, is the reality that state governments--not the federal government--have the strongest impact on the work of America's 3.1 million teachers. With that in mind, three…

The "State Teacher Policy Yearbook" examines what is arguably the single most powerful authority over the teaching profession: state government. This Colorado edition of the National Council on Teacher Quality's (NCTQ's) "State Teacher Policy Yearbook" is the first of what will be an annual look at the status of state policies…

The Circulation Services Department at the University of Central Florida Libraries reports on leadership and training initiatives that resulted in a number of service-enhancing projects implemented by a highly motivated and involved staff. Key elements in reinvigorating the department included a change in leadership philosophy, increased…

This publication outlines a process for developing, instituting, and maintaining school improvement in a systematic way. The seven steps in the process are to (1) identify the problems affecting student performance, (2) establish standards by which to measure the success of improvement efforts, (3) collect appropriate data, (4) analyze the data…

A comprehensive five-year program is outlined for the improvement of library services, particularly programs which can be assisted by the Library Services and Construction Act. Prepared by the State Library staff and based on the program developed in 1972, it provides brief descriptions of the State Library, as well as public, university, school,…

The value of Strong's sentence-combining materials in increasing the syntactic maturity of first-year university students is tested and found positive. (KR)

Briefly describes a performance contract" which guaranteed to raise the reading and mathematics level of potential high school dropouts...one full grade level in 80 hours of instruction." (Author/AA)

An attempt to improve the quality of the life that many socially disoriented youth live in a mojor urban area is described. (CK)

For the past two years, Colby Junior College, in New London, New Hampshire, in cooperation with Operation Crossroads Africa of New York City, has successfully operated an eight-week secretarial improvement course for African office employees. (Author)

Describes the five winners of the APPA's Effective & Innovative Practices Award. These facilities management programs and processes were recognized for enhancing service delivery, lowering costs, increasing productivity, improving customer service, generating revenue, or otherwise benefiting the educational institution. (EV)

An ex ante benefit-cost analysis was conducted of applied tree improvement programs in the North Central Region from 1986 through the year 2030. Results for 24 tree species indicate that ex ante evaluation of the programs is difficult, but the intuition of professionals has built-in efficiency considerations. (TJH)

A current trend in education is that small teacher groups, called professional learning communities (PLC), are being advocated as a tool to help teachers reach struggling students. Educators planning to use PLC as an intervention strategy can benefit from research-based information about PLC best practices. This multiple case study addressed the…

Research suggests that the inability to complete high school graduation requirements can result in barriers that are detrimental to the success of individuals, stability of families, and the overall progress of the state and nation. The Graduation Coach Initiative was employed as a strategy for addressing chronically low graduation rates in…