The purpose of this paper is to not analyze how effective or ineffective Senate Bill 1720 has been since its implementation five years ago; rather, the paper's guiding goal is to closely examine a report recently published in February 2019 by The Center for Postsecondary Success (CPS) at Florida State University, claiming SB 1720 a success. In the…

There must be transparency about the total cost of education in order to give students an opportunity to make informed decisions about which courses and programs fit not only their career goals but also their budgets--and that includes the price of course materials. In fact, the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) of 2008 requires it. This…

Music educators engage with policies and take policy actions on a daily basis. Better understanding their everyday policy contexts can empower music educators to interact with policies in ways that benefit students and local communities. In this article, we outline three main topics: (1) different types of policies and their associated…

School administrators oversee and monitor specially designed programming for students with disabilities to ensure they receive appropriate services. School administrators, however, may be unprepared for the diverse roles that are needed to ensure students with disabilities receive an appropriate education (Edwards, 2012) including in adapted…

This paper explores methods by which the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) development process can be improved through the use of systems-based thinking, specifically through the use of Gittell's (2016) Relational Coordination Model. IEP development meetings have been described as meaningless rituals where parents often leave feeling ostracized…

This study sought to determine if human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates are associated with teaching requirements for abstinence in state sex education laws and policies. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted assessing the association between abstinence education legislation and HPV vaccination rates in adolescents (aged 13-17 years).…

In this paper, we report on our investigation of news coverage of accountability reform in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal during the implementation and assessment of New York's Race to the Top-inspired teacher evaluation system. In systemically analyzing how these prominent media outlets narrated this contentious moment in…

The role of parents in placement decisions is not mentioned in the foundational paper written by Agran et al. This essay explores the various ways parents are absent in the bureaucracy and in the everyday life of schools and communities. Some of the principles of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act are thought to be at the heart of the…

New teacher evaluation reform efforts in the United States hold principals accountable for improving teaching and learning. Yet little is known about how effective principals are at these instructional leadership tasks or how principals experience and adapt to the demands of teacher evaluation reform over time. In the current study, principals (n…

This document contains a model policy for the creation of a portfolio of options for accelerated college credit courses. This model legislation outlines a variety of accelerated college credit courses to be available within each public high school. This policy does not include the funding mechanism for accelerated college credit, but it is…

In response to comments on U.S. Department of Education (Department) guidance on how states and local education agencies (LEA) should determine equitable services for non-public schools under the CARES Act, the Department issued an interim final rule (IFR) on June 25, 2020. The IFR confirms the guidance, stating that LEAs should count all students…

The Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities, Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), is a federal grant program that assists states in operating a comprehensive statewide program of early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities, ages birth through age 2 years, and their families. This…

Part of the process of broader research is presented, in which it is necessary to establish a context of comparison between two Latin American nations. They implement educational policies related to human rights and training for social coexistence. It is assumed that the role of international organizations strongly influences the definition of…

The Supporting Veterans in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Careers Act was put in place to promote veteran involvement in STEM education, computer science, and scientific research, and for other purposes. The Act includes the following sections: (1) Short Title; (2) Definitions; (3) Supporting Veterans in STEM Education…

Professional learning for teachers has become a staple in today's education continuous improvement system. Federal programs such as the Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge Program (RTTT), Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015, Elementary and Secondary Education Act and others have supported funds over the years to account for developing…