In the early 1990s, several states developed legislation that permitted the creation of a limited number of charter schools. At the beginning of 1997, there were 428 charter schools operating in the United States. This document is the first-year progress report of the 4-year National Study of Charter Schools, sponsored by the U.S. Department of…

While Purdue University Calumet (PUC) (Hammond, Indiana) has been a receiver of distance education for a number of years, a number of faculty expressed interest in developing courseware that would allow PUC to be a provider. After a distance education mission statement and goals were outlined, a pilot course was established. The distance education…

Summaries are presented of papers from a symposium entitled "The Evaluation of Complex Programs Using Participatory Evaluation" that focused on a comprehensive school service program in a south Texas alternative high school. "Theoretical Framework and Objectives" explores the problems of evaluating such programs. Problems…

The two-track system that divides academic education from vocational education no longer supports students' interests. This book describes a practical approach to integrating academic and vocational education, focusing on achieving a seamlessly integrated curriculum. Chapter 1 describes the rationale of a high school program--the Cocoa Academy for…

Multiage education is the placement of children of varying ages, grades, and ability levels in the same classroom with the aim of improving learning for all of them. Teaching a multiage class requires very different knowledge and skills than teaching traditional single-grade classes. Interest in multiage education has grown in recent years, and…

The Open Learning Institute of Hong Kong (OLI) provides first degree courses to local residents over the age of 18 by distance education. Distance education is characterized by its urban quality, where "distance" is more often social than geographic. Hong Kong is highly organized and compact with an efficient public transportation…

This guide contains a collection of alternative techniques for teaching arithmetic that have proved useful in teaching both children and adults with various learning problems. Discussed first are several underlying principles of instructing individuals with learning disabilities, problems, and differences and special accommodations for…

The feasibility and relative costs of four telecommunication systems for delivering university courses to distant locations in Colorado were compared. The four systems were compressed video, vertical blanking interval video, satellite video, and audiographic systems. Actual costs to install and operate each for a 5-year period were determined,…

The mandate to foster social intelligence through public education is the historic basis for the federally funded programs resulting from the 1965 Elementary Secondary Education Act. Art as an instrument of social change also was the goal of a 1970 summer program initiated by the Guggenheim Museum for New York's inner city youth. Under the…

This paper presents findings of a study that examined the relationship between structural conditions and parent proclivity to educate their children at home. The term "structural costs" was used to refer to conditions within the district that could be changed by the district. Data were obtained from a survey sent to the departments of education in…

This paper presents a review of theory and research dealing with alternative teacher certification policy. It begins by examining the context for alternative teacher certification through the lens of Human Capital Theory. It defines alternative certification and describes the history and present status of alternative certification policies. The…

In developing any Virtual University it is important to clarify the differences between organizational structure, technical infrastructure, and content. This paper introduces a model for virtual universities that consists of three layers. The organizational layer defines the structure of the organization and addresses issues such as copyright and…

This paper introduces guidelines that can contribute to the successful delivery of distance instruction to teachers using a variety of delivery technologies. These guidelines have evolved from extensive experience in teaching and administration of distance-delivered courses, student evaluations, research studies conducted upon previous courses,…

This report provides Colorado state summary tables and district reports of graduation rates, dropout rates, and suspension and expulsion rates for the Class of 1998. The Colorado graduate rate for the Class of 1998 is 80.1%, an increase of 1.6% points from the rate reported for the Class of 1997. This graduation rate represents all Colorado…

Youth for Education and Success (YES) has contracted with the Houston Independent School District (HISD) (Texas) to provide a community-based alternative school for HISD students who have dropped out of school and are considered at risk. An evaluation of the program indicated that 9 of 118 enrolled students attained General Educational Development…