To generate information that would help rural schools take advantage of the Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration (CSRD) program, 47 principals of rural schools in Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia were interviewed via telephone. The schools fell into two categories: schools that applied but were not funded through the CSRD…

This paper reports on an ongoing effort of the Vermont Mental Health Performance Indicator Project (PIP) to examine the relevance and utility of standardized test scores for evaluating community mental health programs. This analysis is of test scores from Vermont's first four years of statewide testing. The study is examining anonymous…

This booklet for parents, in both English and Spanish, offers suggestions for helping their young children develop and improve their reading skills. The booklet first presents tips for helping infants or preschoolers be ready to read and ready to learn. Suggestions include talking to the infant or toddler, reading aloud starting at 6 months,…

Federal law now allows billions of education dollars, for a variety of programs, to go to states under a single, consolidated state plan. The goal is to develop integrated, coordinated plans for meeting the requirements of the various programs in a way that best serves children's educational needs. Achievement of that goal depends a great deal on…

This technical assistance resource guide is intended to facilitate the inclusion and participation of youth with disabilities in school-to-work systems. The approximately 215 listed items were contributed by state and local organizations nationally. Organizations were asked to select resources that offered "hands on" assistance and were published…

This study investigated Ontario school council inclusiveness pertaining to Aboriginal peoples. A case study was conducted with a cross section of Native and non-Native Canadians who were directly or indirectly involved in school council-related activities. Researchers audiotaped interviews and focus group discussions with participants and analyzed…

This handbook gives step-by-step instruction on using play therapy with children in school and private practice settings. The second edition builds on the fundamental instruction of the first edition and supplies play therapists with the necessary tools to strengthen therapeutic work with children-- especially those with problematic attitudes--…

The participation of parents in their children's education has positive impacts on school achievement, yet minority parental participation is decreasing. Parents and teachers have different perceptions of what constitutes parental participation. School personnel often misread the reserve, nonconfrontational manners, and noninvolvement of Hispanic…

This paper constructs a history of empowerment and critical pedagogies in U.S. composition studies, building on the idea that critical pedagogies arise out of social constructs and exigencies, and they are not divorced from the realities of students' academic concerns and growths. Primary sources for the paper are table of contents pages in…

This study examines how the intersect of policy and practice, as articulated by educational leadership, created a school culture that fostered positive educational outcomes for at-risk, poor children in two Philadelphia public elementary schools. The school had reached and sustained an academic achievement standard that defied predicted levels for…

This book surveys the Career in Teaching (CIT) initiative launched in Rochester, New York, looking at its impact on the district since 1987. CIT incorporates support for new teachers, provides opportunities for highly accomplished teachers to share their skills, and offers peer review and assistance to teachers experiencing problems in their…

This CD-ROM is part of an interactive and dynamic multimedia package of information and games for learning K'iche' and Ixil. This CD-ROM includes six books in electronic format with interactive exercises that support improved bilingual and intercultural education and teacher training, specifically in the languages of K'iche' and Ixil. Books…

This curriculum packet of teacher-developed lesson plans, intended for use with students in middle and/or high schools, focuses on student involvement in community projects. The first lesson plan, "Physics Park" (Scott McQuerry), aims for students to construct a playground and the examine the physics behind the playground's equipment. Students use…

This document is comprised of weekly newsletters, compiled by month, for family child care providers for the year 2003. Each theme-based four-page newsletter contains: (1) creative activities for use with mixed-age groups of 2- to 5-year-olds; (2) ideas on guiding behavior, organization tips, and Monthly Planning Calendar; (3) special sections for…

Community colleges are faced with the need to hire not only more new faculty, but also a more diverse faculty. Although community colleges have a disproportionately large number of minority students, the numbers of minority faculty are low. Because state and federal affirmative action programs are under increasing attack, community college…