This newsletter issue focuses on the issue of recommended instructional and curriculum changes that are part of the current reforms in science education. The issue is composed of four articles. The first article, "Science Education: Schools Pushed To Broaden Access, Overhaul Practice," discusses the call for a science curriculum that…

The purpose of this action research study was threefold: (1) to assess the climate of an elementary school in which the principal, assistant principal, and 67 percent of the teaching staff were new; (2) to develop and implement a plan for improvement; and (3) to reevaluate the school climate to determine whether improvement had occurred. The…

A model for evaluating the higher education programs offered at Army bases is described. Attention is focused not only on what off-campus staff can do to develop and maintain quality, but what can be done to demonstrate to outsiders the achievement of quality. It is suggested that the institution needs to have genuine concern for quality, a…

The formative evaluation of the first year's implementation of the Enrichment Kindergarten program of the Des Moines, Iowa Independent Community School District involved 12 half-day enrichment sessions at six schools. Approximately 278 kindergarten students were served. Results of the evaluation indicated that over 96 percent of the budgeted…

Curriculum alignment (CA) refers to the congruence of all the elements of a school's curriculum: curriculum goals; instructional program--what is taught and the materials used; and tests used to judge outcomes. CA can be a very powerful can be a very powerful factor in improving schools. Although further research is needed on CA, there is…

The potential for expanding job opportunities for college students to help cover expenses and provide valuable experiences was evaluated, based on an informal survey of federal, state, and institutional work-study programs. The focus is on recent innovations and possibilities for improvement. The U.S. Department of Education administers two…

A curriculum development project began with a market survey to investigate the demand for training in quality assurance (QA). The project objective was to develop a final study program that would cater to a broad range of employees, from operative to senior management; enable employees to appreciate their potential role within a QA system; and…

This Title VII program completed its second year of a 3 year continuation project to provide students with limited English proficiency instruction designed to help them achieve English language proficiency. The program also included a staff development component. Students were in Lau categories A, B, and C (non-English speaking, English as a…

This report describes three programs in Oregon and Washington which provide opportunities for teachers to update their skills by spending their summer in structured work experience or internship programs in business and industry. Benefits to teachers are listed as well as characteristics of successful programs. The programs are: (1) Economic…

A response to the allegation that the University System of Georgia's use of the Regents' Test Program as a graduation requirement is discriminatory is presented. The U.S. Department of Education has alleged that the test has discriminated against students who attend the traditionally black institutions (TBIs). The Federal Government also cites the…

Descriptions of 155 programs supported by the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education are provided. In addition to a brief statement of the scope of each program, the project director, address, and phone number are identified. Topics addressed by the programs include: ensuring adequate math preparation for college work through…

Improving the quality of learning is basic to raising academic standards. Research on postsecondary learning improvement has provided a base of practical knowledge to guide faculty and planners. Successful learning improvement programs share two essential characteristics: they are more comprehensive in the range of students' needs met, and they…

Faced with declining enrollments and decreasing resources, institutions of higher education need to consider new ways to conceptualize their purposes and the administrative processes relevant to those purposes. Asserting that the organizational structure of the institution and the learners, educators, and instructional methods interacting in that…

A study of small-scale farmers in Polk County, Oregon, examined characteristics of, and variations among, small-scale farmers and developed some guidelines for assistance programs targeted for such a group. During the months of May, June, and July of 1978 an average of 4 days a week was spent locating and interviewing 44 small farm operators in…

Guidelines for environmental organizations who wish to establish student internships or use interns more effectively are presented, based on 1983-1984 interviews and surveys of environmental group representatives. While the focus is on internships for undergraduate and graduate students, environmental interns may be recent college graduates, high…