Until recently, many students with disabilities were excluded from large-scale assessments, such as those mandated by states. Recent federal and state policy initiatives, including the most recent reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, require that the large majority of students with disabilities be included in…

This report, the fifth annual report on the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP), provides policymakers, educators, parents, and the community with a general accounting and precise overview of the performance of Colorados third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth grade students relative to the Colorado State Model…

Using a random sample of 1,000 Colorado teachers, this study surveyed the effects of standards, the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP), and school report cards on instruction and test-related practices. Findings show that standards were perceived to have greater impact on improving instruction than did testing. Teachers said they aligned…

The primary goal of the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is to provide nutritious meals to children in low-income areas when school is not in session. This report presents the findings of the SFSP Implementation Study, a descriptive study of the operations of the SFSP at the state and local levels and how SFSP staff feel the program could be…

The two principal federal funding streams available to states for provision of child care services are the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant structure. Noting that funds from both of these can be used for child care and early education initiatives, this report summarizes what…

This briefing book contains several documents prepared by the Montana University System for educators, policymakers, and other interested parties. The "Montana University System Fact Sheet" provides factual information about funding, costs, quality, and the productivity of the university system. The "Montana University System…

This study compared scores on the Indiana Statewide Test for Educational Progress (ISTEP) for students who received implementation of the Shurley Method program with those of students who did not receive the program. The Shurley method, developed by B. Shurley, is a language skills teaching method aimed at students of all learning styles that…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requires state programs to adopt standards for all children, including those with disabilities, in state and district-wide assessments with the provision of appropriate and necessary accommodations. For students who cannot participate in state and district-wide assessments, the law requires that…

In conjunction with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997 (IDEA), the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 (NCLB) calls for specific enhancements to existing assessment and accountability systems within definite timelines. The NCLB Act also stresses the use of reliable and valid data for decision making. The purpose of this study was…

This is the first report on the performance indicators adopted by the Illinois Board of Higher Education in February 2003 to assess progress toward the six goals of "The Illinois Commitment." This imitative is a work in progress that will be implemented and refined over multiple years. This first report focuses on the statewide and…

A mixed modal study was conducted that compared the results of Mississippi Biology subject area mean scores of students that used 4X4 block, A/B block, and traditional year-long schedules in large, medium, and small-sized schools. This research also explored data about whether schedule configurations allow sufficient time for students to construct…

States use Migrant Education Program (MEP) funds to ensure that migrant children are provided with appropriate services that address the special needs caused by the effects of continual educational disruption. MEP services are usually delivered by schools, districts and/or other public or private organizations and can be instructional (reading,…

This 2000 Summary marks the eighth edition of the Summary of State Student Assessment Programs. Using data gathered in the annual survey, this report summarizes what is occurring in statewide assessment programs and provides information on trends in state assessment activities. Completed surveys for the 2000 year were received by the Council of…

The Council of Chief State School Officers has completed a 2-year project to develop and test Surveys of Enacted Curriculum in Mathematics and Science. This final report describes advances in survey methods and analyses of enacted curriculum data, highlights central findings of the research, and presents applications of the survey and data tools.…

This paper examines the validity of measures of teacher effectiveness from the Tennessee Value Added Assessment System (TVAAS). It considers the following claims regarding teacher effects: (1) they capture teachers' unique contributions to student learning adequately; (2) they reflect adequate standards of excellence for comparing teachers; (3)…