Described are the procedures used to generate 44 competency statements regarding the job of Minnesota coordinator of special needs, a local school district level position which involves providing services to handicapped and/or disadvantaged students in vocational education. It is reported that an expert jury (which included professionals in the…

This document summarizes in non-technical terms the preliminary policy-relevant findings of a national evaluation of the Emergency School Aid Act (ESAA) Basic and Pilot Programs during the second year of program operations, 1974-75. An attempt is also made to relate the second year results to findings in the first evaluation year, 1973-74. A major…

An interview with Eugene Lang, who established the "I Have A Dream" Foundation that sponsors a college education for a sixth grade class, is presented. The importance of the personal relationship between the class and the sponsor is stressed. The potential involvement of colleges and universities is discussed. (MLW)

Two articles discuss sexual activity of teenagers, sex education in elementary and secondary schools, and instruction on Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Highlights include disadvantaged teens, parent-child communication, television's influence, curriculum recommendations, and media reviews of video tapes and filmstrips dealing with…

The educational reform movement has proven largely irrelevant to urban minority students' needs. Dropout prevention programs have bestowed meaningless diplomas, while side-stepping the root causes of failure and underachievement. Urban high schools are large and impersonal and have a sour, dispirited atmosphere that discourages learning. Clearly,…

Describes Phaladelphia's four semiautonomous high school academies designed to provide disadvantaged students with a carefully aligned academic and vocational program and, ultimately, with relevant, marketable job skills. Discusses administration, academics, integration of academic and vocational courses, career education and counseling, work…

Australian year 12 students were surveyed to discover whether examination success rates vary with social background even when the types of schools young people attend are taken into account, and whether such examination success translates into different rates of higher education entry for young people of disadvantaged backgrounds and for their…

By several recent counts, the United States is home to 2 to 3 million youth age 16 through 24 who are out of school and out of work. Much has been written on disadvantaged youth, and government policy has gone through many incarnations, yet questions remain unanswered. Why are so many young people "disconnected," and what can public policy do…

Over the years, educational research has provided important insights into how children learn to read. In the last decade, it also has been influential in helping to create new programs, teaching practices, and policies that support the goal of all children reading well by the end of third grade. Yet, while most researchers would agree that early…

Over the past decade, investing in learning programs for young children has emerged as a central strategy in states' efforts to improve educational achievement and opportunity. This trend has been fueled by strong public support and a steady stream of research findings on the influence of the first few years of life on cognitive and emotional…

This monograph covers the Saginaw Teacher Study Group Movement from its inception in 1996 through its expansion to include the overwhelming majority of Saginaw teachers in 1999-2001. Since 1996, classroom teachers in Saginaw have been volunteering for study groups addressing the learning and teaching of students in poverty. In the first half of…

Current research increasingly highlights the role of early literacy in young children's development--and informs practices and policies that promote success among diverse learners. This handbook presents cutting-edge knowledge on all aspects of literacy learning in the early years. Volume 2 provides additional perspectives on important topics…

Despite the negative image of many adolescents and the perception that they are more influenced by peers than by adults, research consistently finds that most adolescents value positive relationships with parents, teachers, and other adults. Research also shows that adolescents who have positive relationships with caring adults are more likely to…

This year's Quality Counts, Education Week's comprehensive overview on the quality of American education, focuses on the relationship between teacher quality and the growing academic achievement gap. It includes profiles of hard-to-staff schools, state alternative certification programs, and surveys of the 50 states on recruiting, supporting, and…

In view of the pending reauthorization of Head Start in 2003, this paper presents information on the effectiveness of Head Start, alternatives to Head Start, program funding, performance standards, and other issues germane to its reauthorization. Topics considered in the question-and-answer format of the report are: (1) Head Start benefits for…