This publication updates information from prior surveys of teacher education policy in 50 states and the District of Columbia in the areas of: (1) standards; (2) standards boards; (3) alternative preparation for licensure; (4) minority teacher recruitment; (5) early childhood education; and (6) clinical/field experience. In addition there is a new…

The report analyzes data on Michigan special education professional personnel as they relate to such factors as age, educational attainment, teaching experience, certificate endorsement area, and supply. The report is divided into five sections: (1) instructional-ancillary personnel and student counts; (2) personnel attrition and retention rates;…

One of seven sections of a report that examines the assessment of occupational competence, this chapter provides a review of how the courts have responded to assessment practices. The difference in the perspectives held by the users and originators of assessment procedures and those held by the courts is developed by examining key court cases…

The full text of a speech regarding opportunities for adults to earn high school completion credentials, delivered to the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, is presented in the document. The GED program is described in terms of its testing validity and age restrictions. It is stated that although the GED testing approach is a…

Heightened demand for testing is seen as a function of public skepticism regarding the quality of public education. Discusses developments and trends in the following areas: (1) minimum competency testing versus higher order skills testing; (2) kindergarten and first grade readiness testing; (3) portfolio-based assessment; and (4) teacher…

During the fall of 2007, Movement for Canadian Literacy (MCL) conducted an environmental scan of the Anglophone literacy field in Canada. Data was gathered through the use of key informant interviews (19) and a literature review. A cross-national working group guided the development of the scan. Interviews with key informants for the scan revealed…

From the beginning of the electronic computer era, corporate America fully embraced the new technology and became the primary customer for the myriad of hardware vendors. Eventually microcomputers, loaded with quality software, appeared on virtually every desk throughout all American corporations. However, Technology had a much more difficult time…

With children's early years increasingly recognized as a critical time for learning, more policymakers see a four-year college degree as a necessity for teachers in preschool programs receiving state and federal money. Many state-financed preschool programs require teachers to have four-year degrees. As federal lawmakers debate renewing the Head…

The EDUCAUSE/Internet2 Computer and Network Security Task Force consulted with IT security professionals on campus about concerns with the current state of security in enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. From these conversations, it was clear that security issues generally fell into one of two areas: (1) It has become extremely difficult…

The national guidelines for school library media programs clearly establish that the goal of the school library media specialist is to provide an instructional program that helps students and faculty become efficient and effective users of information. Along with running the library at a technical level as the program administrator, the school…

Reflecting on one's practice, whether it is a conversation with a single student, a lesson, or a unit plan, is the surest way for a teacher to improve. Going through the process of becoming a National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) is a journey of reflective practice. The National Board of Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) is a nonprofit,…

The focus of this paper is to present a model for empowering all parties in the Practicum triad, school-based and university-based teacher educators, as well as student teachers, in assessment. Assessment of the Practicum, which shares a number of commonalities with Work-Based Learning, plays a crucial role in the certification of new teachers.…

This study investigated the nature of interaction among teachers that occurred around the National Board certification (NBC) process and how that collegial interaction influenced teachers' professional development. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 14 teachers who were either considering NBC, in the process, or had been awarded NBC.…

This report provides national estimates on distance education at degree-granting postsecondary institutions in the 2006-07 academic year. While this report covers many of the topics in the previous three reports, the data are not comparable. The definition of distance education in the 2006-07 study reflected two major changes from earlier studies.…

U.S. teacher educators are faced with serious challenges to demonstrate the quality of the graduates they prepare. These challenges are expressed in the country's fixation on accountability and testing. We are witnessing the growth of standardized tests and alternative routes to certification as panaceas intended to solve the teacher shortage…