Learning disabilities is the theme of the latest issue of "Focus on Basics," the World Education publication that brings together research, policy, and practice in adult basic education. Starting with an update on research on neurobiology and dyslexia, this issue also examines how the adult basic education system supports students with…

This descriptive report examines the strategies of the six Southeast Region states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina) to improve high school graduation rates and student achievement and to increase the number of students leaving high school with the skills and knowledge necessary for the twenty-first…

In this article, the authors present Edwin Diaz, superintendent of California's Gilroy Unified School District and discuss the common challenges and strategies among those education leaders who take on--and succeed at--the role of change agent and reformer. When Edwin Diaz became superintendent of California's Gilroy Unified School District in…

This study examined the impact of a professional development intervention aimed at helping elementary teachers incorporate elements of students' home language and culture into science instruction. The intervention consisted of instructional units and materials and teacher workshops. The research involved 43 third- and fourth-grade teachers at six…

Teams of pre-service and in-service elementary teachers attended workshops, learned technology applications, and designed curricular units that incorporated technology during staff development accomplished through a Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to Use Technology (PT3) U.S. Department of Education grant. Training focused on development of Units of…

This longitudinal study focuses on how pedagogical content knowledge is initially represented and changes during the beginning teaching experiences of 9 teachers of French, German, and Spanish. The data consist of reflective journal entries, classroom observations, and focus group interviews collected during the first 2 years of foreign language…

This packet includes reprints of journal articles and other information exploring reflective practice and action research among rural educators. The four sections of the packet cover concepts of reflective practice and action research; examples of reflective practice at both the elementary and secondary levels; issues such as encouraging…

This report describes the performance goals established for Tennessee school systems in accordance with the Education Improvement Act (EIA) adopted in 1992. The report also describes the initiatives undertaken to assist school systems in achieving those goals. Prepared by the State Board of Education and the Commissioner of Education, this report…

The Mississippi Community College Fellowship Program (MCCFP), a project of the Department of Educational Leadership at Mississippi State University, is designed to assist in the identification, development, and training of the state's future community college leaders. Two participants are nominated by each of the 16 public community college…

This book is designed to help policymakers, educators, and researchers develop a deeper understanding of the issues of school restructuring and to give greater conceptual clarity to the terms of the current debate. The chapters of the book contain forum papers that are organized into two main parts. Following chapter 1, "Introduction: On Changing…

This paper discusses the silences that arise when female educational administrators reflect on their practices during most public discussions, seminars, and lectures. The term "silence" refers to the situation in which people who perceive themselves as less powerful than those from the dominant culture (that is, women and minorities) tend to not…

This paper examines the practice of using cohorts in administrator-preparation programs from conceptual and practical viewpoints. The first three sections describe the current state of affairs of cohort usage; the final section explores the potential of the cohort structure as a means for developing leaders committed to creating communities of…

This book applies the foundational elements of the model for teaching and learning called Dimensions of Learning (DoL) to administrative practice. It explores the process of observation for DoL in a comprehensive way. Chapter 2 provides an overview of the key structural elements and group processes that should be in evidence in a school system…

Intended as a companion document to the "NAEP 1994 Reading Report Card for the Nation and States" and the "NAEP 1994 Reading State Report," this compendium presents fourth-grade cross-state results of the National Assessment in Educational Process (NAEP) 1994 Trial State Assessment in reading--no interpretations of the data are…

In 1989, West Virginia University initiated a project to create a new vision for teacher education and for schools in West Virginia. With the support of the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation of Pittsburgh, the school partnership is based on the Holmes Group concept of professional-development schools (PDSs), which provides a vehicle for school…