The population of school-aged English language learners (ELLs) has consistently and significantly increased over the past decade, transforming U.S. public schools, instruction, and teacher preparation. This digest discusses the need for increased numbers of teachers of ELLs and the particular linguistic and academic characteristics of ELLs. It…

This brief discusses the outcomes of a study that examined the views of 32 secondary education teachers in four secondary schools on the inclusion of students with disabilities in their classrooms. Analyses of the interview data indicate that the general education teachers were committed to inclusion and that they did make instructional…

Low student achievement for Montana's Native American students has been a recognized fact since the beginning of the reservation period. The current push for mathematics and science education reform, coupled with federal and state accountability mandates, enhances opportunities for learning but also challenges Native students' culture and…

This case study was developed as a supplement to the U. S. Department of Education publication Understanding Evaluation: The Way to Better Prevention Programs. Its purpose is to help readers get a feel for what is involved in setting up an evaluation of a college alcohol and other drug (AOD) prevention program. Although Understanding Evaluation…

The purpose of this document is to report the performance of students in the classes of 1998 to 1005 on the more rigorous competency standard in North Carolina as of the 2000-2001 school year. This report contains aggregate and disaggregated state-level results from administrations of the North Carolina competency tests of reading and mathematics…

Standards-based reform and the demand for accountability and higher student achievement over the past decade have created challenges for school boards. Should boards continue their historical low-key, hands-off approach to student learning? Or should they take on a leadership role by capitalizing on their traditional responsibility as local…

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…

As child care becomes an increasingly important public policy issue on the national level, there is emerging concern about Georgia's readiness to meet the needs of its children in care. This study documented the state of child care in Georgia in comparison to other states, to national averages, and to national standards. A group of 12 comparison…

Colleges of education in Arkansas are required to obtain accreditation by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). This group refers the accreditation requirements to the National Policy Board for Educational Administration (NPBEA). One of the NPBEA responsibilities is that of establishing structure and maintaining…

National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education institutions that prepare principals, superintendents, and curriculum directors now have the responsibility to comply with Educational Leadership Constituent Council standards and reporting processes. This revised system of accreditation requires institutions preparing educational…

This monograph examines current standards in personnel preparation for teachers of students with emotional/behavioral disorders (E/BD) and offers several teacher education models that incorporate collaboration with parents and community schools and agencies as key features. Following an introductory chapter, chapter 2 explains the standards…

This collection of articles discusses the realities of Professional Development Schools (PDS) from the perspectives of school teachers, college faculty, college administrators, and other educational administrators. The articles focus on the five dimensions of PDS work (institutionalization, equity, standards and quality, inquiry, and financing).…

The Urban Systemic Initiatives (USI) program is an effort sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) that targets large urban school systems with the goal of sustainable implementation of high-quality, standards-based teaching for the purpose of attaining system-wide increases in students' learning of challenging mathematics and science.…

The International Symposium on Early Childhood Education and Care for the 21st Century was held in Ruschlikon, Switzerland in 1999. Attending were 83 early childhood education professionals from 28 nations to develop international guidelines for the education and care of young children. This document contains shortened versions of the guidelines…

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…