This sourcebook presents information about three types of federal decision makers who are frequent clients of evaluation: career government executives; political appointees; and congressional staff members. Differences among these decision makers are highlighted in seven articles, with emphasis on meeting client needs and process dimensions of…

A follow-up study with 27 adults was conducted 9 years after the talented adolescents had participated in a special college summer arts program. Among conclusions were that participants were still highly self-directed and that they perceived the Johnson State (Vermont) Early College Program very positively. (DB)

Addresses important considerations for the implementation of speaking across the curriculum. Highlights important distinctions between speech courses and speaking-across-the-curriculum courses taught by faculty in other disciplines. Argues that the benefits of speaking across the curriculum outweigh the potential harm to the field if concerns are…

Discussion of program advocacy in schools focuses on the role of the teacher-librarian in cooperation with the classroom teacher and the principal. A program in Ontario called "Partners in Action" is described; leadership skills are discussed; and program advocacy strategies are suggested at the school and system levels. (Contains 10…

A survey of 23 Canadian student teachers in conventional placements or professional-development schools (PDS) found that their practica had taught them about curriculum, pupils and pupil-teacher interactions, discipline and classroom management, and the teaching profession. Compared to others, PDS student teachers relied more on weekly seminars…

States that learning assistance centers are often caught in the throws of controversy at institutions of higher education. Examines some of the causal contributors to this controversy in an attempt to help learning assistance professionals identify the strategies necessary to preserve their centers' integrity in good and difficult financial times.…

Offers solutions for faculty working to educate colleagues and administrators to support their use of service learning or who want to access campus resources and support for service learning. Discusses solutions to challenges such as "We already do that,""It takes too much time and effort," and "We're not here to teach…

In this article, the author, who is an educational author, speaker, and consultant, briefly discusses how the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act has played large role in her past three jobs over the past four years. Four years ago she was the president of Foxfire, three years ago she taught elementary school methods courses in a university teacher…

This paper examines the varying experiences of quality amongst key stakeholders (those who have an interest in, an impact on or are users of) in faculty student administration in an Australian university and proposes a framework for understanding quality in this context. Data were obtained using a qualitative phenomenographic research approach and…

In a time of growing interest in accountability, sharing school governance with parents, teachers, the community, and business leaders has become a norm. School councils or advisory groups have become a requirement for schools in many states. This research examined school council members' perceptions of issues addressed by the councils and council…

Jail crowding is a substantial concern for many local jurisdictions. Although several authors have suggested a system-wide approach to reduce crowding, relatively little is known about how top local criminal justice officials view this issue. Using interviews and surveys of criminal justice leaders in a large southern metropolitan county, this…

The Department for Education and Skills (Replace by the Department for Children, Schools and Families as of June 28, 2007) commissioned the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) to conduct an evaluation of the Youth Opportunity Fund and Youth Capital Fund (YOF/YCF). This summary presents the main findings from the interim report of…

Community psychologists have a long-standing interest in promoting systems change to improve the lives of individuals and communities. To more fully illuminate a multilevel model of those factors involved in the promotion of systems change, the current study examined individual- and organizational-level characteristics related to health care…

The likelihood of benefit is fundamental to decision making about newborn screening. But benefit is construed in different ways by different stakeholders. This article begins with a review of benefit as considered historically by various expert panels and organizations. We then show how 78 conditions fared when experts recently rated them on…

A statewide survey was completed by 234 special education teachers with experience in developing assessment portfolios within the Illinois Alternate Assessment (IAA) system. Relationships between these teachers' demographics and their perspectives, concerns, and self-reported practices related to the IAA system was identified and described. These…