Westchester Community College, which teaches English to about 4,000 non-native speakers each year, has one of the most comprehensive English as a Second Language programs in the country. It's also leading the charge to transform immigrant education and make it a national priority. In 2008, the college started the Community College Consortium for…

The promulgation of ESL learning standards by government agencies and professional organizations is intended to improve second-language (L2) proficiency and academic achievement. However, mandates have been criticized on various grounds, including difficulty of defining domains to be tested as well as vagueness of articulation. Arising from the…

This article discusses the process of incorporating spirituality and religion into the treatment of African American clients. It addresses religious diversity within the African American community. The roles of spirituality and religion as survival and coping mechanisms for overcoming racism, adversity, and loss are emphasized. The cases presented…

Purpose: To examine the impact of an experimental consumer-choice voucher benefit on the selection of independent and agency personal assistance services (PAS) providers among rural and urban Medicare beneficiaries with disabilities. Methods: The Medicare Primary and Consumer-Directed Care Demonstration enrolled 1,605 Medicare beneficiaries in 19…

This "Civil Rights Directory", is distributed as a service of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights under its Clearinghouse functions. The information was supplied by the agencies and organizations listed. Section 1 is a listing of key Federal officials responsible for monitoring, administering, coordinating, and enforcing various aspects…

This directory of resources for disabled adults was compiled to assist state directors of the federally funded, state-administered Adult Education Program as well as administrators and practitioners in providing services for adults with disabilities. The first two sections include 15 federal and nonfederal organizations serving adults with various…

The ways in which the regional accrediting commissions are responding effectively in the evaluation of rapidly changing postsecondary education institutions are described. Differences between the roles of the accrediting commissions and the state agencies are examined, and ways to develop more cooperative relationships are suggested. The primary…

This book outlines issues of concern to top decision makers in a nonprofit organization that involves volunteers, including the role of the executive staff in supporting the volunteer program. The 12 chapters in the book discuss the following topics: developing a vision for volunteer participation; questions of policy; budgeting and other resource…

Describes the Refugee Data Center (RDC) (New York City), a hub for linking refugees with voluntary resettlement agencies. The RDC maintains a database on refugees as they progress toward final resettlement in the United States. At present, RDC files include refugees from Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America. (SLD)

A framework for evaluating public-private partnership projects in housing and community development organizes nine criteria in three categories: (1) need for partnership (problem magnitude, duplication); (2) process (planning, structure of partnership, management of operations, resource acquisition/management); and (3) outcomes (achievement of…

Considers the manner in which the concept of deregulation has been used in the literature, describes several forms of deregulation, and discusses the tactics likely to be employed by agencies and by the regulated parties. (Author/IRT)

Director of the National Institute of Education responds to questions about the operation and goals of this new Federal agency. (Editor)

Engineering education directly supports the nation's capacity for economic growth, infrastructure renewal, and security, as well as environmental and human health. Numerous reports have recommended federal support to advance our understanding of how students learn, how faculty teach, and how teaching and learning are assessed. The U.S. National…

Within a system, change affects stakeholders differently. Consequently, when making changes in the mental health system, mental health agencies should expect varied reactions from staff, community members, consumers, and families. Since misunderstandings can stymie efforts to implement evidence-based and promising practices, it is important to…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) Alliance for Excellent Education Announces New Center for Secondary School Digital Learning and Policy: Center's Work…