The Student Assessment Consortium (SAC), a collaboration between the Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing and the Council of Chief State School Officers, was created to facilitate innovative assessment work in several subject areas. Its purpose is to share expertise and information about the development of innovative…

This report provides an agenda suggested by the Council on Early Childhood Development to guide the new Interagency Advisory Committee for Early Childhood Development and Education in its efforts to improve the lives of children and families in Maryland. Discussion of the current state of children's services in Maryland is followed by a…

In 1991 the Plan for Social Excellence, Inc., funded three elementary schools to design and implement a comprehensive early childhood education program. This funding initiative, entitled "Excellent Beginnings," supports programs that include innovative curriculum and classroom-management strategies, extensive parent participation, the use of high…

This career planning guide is intended for college students with disabilities who desire careers in science, mathematics, or engineering. The booklet reflects the experiences and advice of 286 individuals with disabilities who are in these careers or preparing for them. The first section focuses on the personal autonomy available in the college…

This paper discusses the key role of information in helping minority group parents and students gain access to postsecondary education and offers a descriptive framework for understanding information needs and availability. The framework is a taxonomy of the kinds and types of information needed by students and parents in order for the student to…

This manual, written primarily for Wisconsin public librarians, is designed to provide practical assistance to those who wish to expand public library collections of American Indian (defined as people in the United States and Canada who trace their lineage to the original habitants of these lands) resources and to improve related library programs…

Based on current research, the study reports on how students spend out-of-school time, addresses issues related to the integration of services and parent and family involvement, and suggests ways in which the Chapter 1 program can play a more active role than in the past. Research has indicated that placing more emphasis on primary services for…

This paper examines the legal mandates as well as the definitions and indicators for a family-centered early childhood system of care for children with special needs. Legislation discussed includes the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant (Title V of the Social Security Act). Various definitions…

This collection of 34 papers from various nations reflects the state of the art in the development of community-based medical educational programs. Papers are grouped into the following topical areas: (1) community-oriented education, (2) evaluation, (3) innovation and change, (4) problem-based learning, (5) administration of education, and (6)…

In an effort to increase the effectiveness of international studies and to improve resource sharing among institutions, Kalamazoo Valley Community College (KVCC), in Michigan, has created a consortium for international studies and foreign languages among 15 Michigan community colleges and Michigan State University (MSU). The consortium was funded…

This document is a compilation of legislation on issues critical to children and families, enacted during 1992 by the states and the District of Columbia. The laws pertaining to various issues are listed by state and briefly described. Issues are: (1) abuse and neglect (including background checks and screening, court procedures, financing, legal…

The long range plan provides for the orderly establishment and expansion of programs needed to carry out the objectives of the Texas State Library. The following five major development goals were identified for the 1994-1997 period: (1) improve library services and increase library resources through financial support; (2) make materials and…

National samples of the general public (n=1,001) and community opinion leaders (n=300) were asked to evaluate the importance to their communities of 10 different roles of the public library. Respondents evaluated each role in terms of its importance to their communities. Survey results indicate that the public library's roles to support the…

This book brings together relevant doctoral research related to the instructional effectiveness of the elementary and secondary school librarian and school library. The research is distilled from supervised research studies conducted at North American universities. In the opening section, the book describes what works, based on findings about…

Brief descriptions are provided of the 48 specific disability support practices being provided by community colleges. In its call for contributions, the American Association of Community Colleges solicited information about factors that practitioners thought contributed to the success of a disability support program. Nearly 50 different key…