The National Reporting System project was designed to establish an outcome-based accountability system for the state-administered, federally funded adult education program. In the pilot test, volunteer states and their local programs compared the feasibility and costs of these three data collection models: (1) local programs collect all the…

This study investigated professional development as provided through the Teacher Leadership Academy (TLA) model used in rural Illinois area school districts and district consortia. Surveys were distributed to TLA participants that sought their perceptions of the desirability, involvement, and feasibility of school reform in general and the…

This paper focuses on the data ramification of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998. Section 1 provides an outline of the role of these postsecondary institutions under WIA: members of the State and local boards; one-stop operators; one-stop partners; and eligible service…

In 1999 Michigan implemented the Michigan Merit Award program, a program to motivate high school students to take their studies more seriously. The program offers 1-year college scholarships to students who meet or exceed state standards on Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) tests in reading, mathematics, science, and writing. This…

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) amends and changes programs from the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Although the main component of this bill is Title I, it also highlights teacher education quality. NCLB was accompanied, for fiscal year 2002, by the largest increase ever in federal education aid, targeting federal resources to support…

This pamphlet is intended to help educators understand the fundamentals of what the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) Title III means for their educational programs and curricula to help all limited English proficient (LEP) students and immigrant children and youth succeed in learning English and meeting the same challenging state academic content…

This volume theorizes, describes, and explains practices and some specific programs designed to help meet the needs and demands of a diverse student population. The central point of this volume is that curriculum, instruction, and assessment in middle-level education is a dynamic, interrelated system undergoing change. The book contains the…

School choice, as one avenue toward educational reform, must be placed in context, according to this brief policy analysis. Prepared mainly for policymakers in California and stressing implications for public education in California, the report briefly discusses five samples of school choice: (1) magnet schools; (2) charter schools; (3) open…

This paper describes the transformation of Idaho State University's teacher education program in response to various initiatives regarding educational change. The transformation process involved framing a standards-based preparation program. Developers created a Core Standards for Beginning Teachers that established exit outcomes for prospective…

Accountability systems target effective school management among other key aspects of the school-improvement process that impact teacher performance. In treating this aspect of accountability, it asks, "What do school improvement plans reveal about schools' responses to accountability and probation?" The school-improvement plan…

In the rush to implement world-class standards supported by systems of accountability in public schools, education leaders have compromised the educational future of Hispanic students by making high-stakes decisions based on inaccurate and inadequate testing information. State policies often require that Hispanic students be assessed in English…

This workbook is one of six professional development manuals designed to help new adult education (AE) instructors find their personal philosophy of teaching adult students. The pretest and post-test appear first. Five units provide useful information on five diverse topics developed by leading (AE) experts and experienced (AE) instructors. Each…

This monograph examines use of standardized tests in higher education, particularly the Scholastic Assessment Tests (SAT), as an issue of social justice and the public interest and in the context of national concerns over access, equity, and demands for accountability. The paper notes public interest in access and equity beginning with 1930s…

This paper shows how a mid-sized teacher education institution proactively developed a performance assessment method, Teacher Work Samples (TWSs), addressing the school's efforts to use TWSs to obtain evidence of the impact of teacher performance on student learning. The paper examines challenges faced in developing and implementing TWS…

This continuing education document enhances classroom teachers' capacity to address problems and foster social, emotional, intellectual, and behavioral development. Module 1 presents the context for understanding the problems schools face, noting why every school must develop an enabling component to address barriers to learning. It discusses: the…