The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 calls for 100% proficiency in reading and mathematics by 2014. The mandate thus transforms reading and mathematics into high-stakes subject areas. This quantitative cross-sectional study examined legislated testing mandates in relation to burnout subscales, emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal…

This report presents findings from a national examination of the organizations that sponsor, oversee and hold accountable U.S. charter schools. Its primary aim is to describe and characterize these crucial but little known organizations: What do they look like? How big are they? How do they go about their work? The results of this inquiry is a new…

In 2003, the Lumina Foundation for Education launched a major initiative, "Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count," to increase student success at community colleges. The initiative focuses on colleges with high enrollments of low-income students and students of color. In the first round, 27 colleges in five states were selected.…

This ethnographic study investigated the implementation process of mathematics curriculum initiatives designed to improve student achievement in a test-driven accountability environment. The research focused on complex factors within the school contextual environment influencing implementation and student achievement specifically, leadership;…

This report presents 10 suggestions for what the U.S. Department of Education can do to help schools raise achievement for all students and close the achievement gap by increasing teacher quality: (1) make improving teacher quality job one; (2) insist on good data; (3) ensure that states make an immediate priority of fixing the indefensible…

This publication, one in a series, is intended to bridge the information gap between what the research says and what actually transpires when various programs and reform initiatives are implemented in schools. This particular publication presents 30 questions to 5 participants of the Distinguished Principal Fellows program. The questions are…

The National Dissemination Center's Need Sensing/Future Scanning program collects opinions from a broad spectrum of stakeholders in career and technical education (CTE) and uses them to guide research, dissemination, and professional development activities that are responsive to the field's needs. In year 3 of the program, professionals and…

This report provides a comprehensive summary of the most recent data available from the National Assessment of Title I on the implementation of the Title I program and the academic performance of children in high poverty schools. Seven sections focus on: (1) "Policy Context for Title I" (provisions of the current Title I law and new…

The General Accounting Office (GAO) reviewed the performance measurement system of the Department of Labor's (DOL's) Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS), which administers programs and activities designed to help veterans obtain employment and training assistance. The GAO review focused on the following items: VETS' proposed…

Recommendations are presented for a new form of school governance in British Columbia that takes into account current research on effective schools. In the model described, the provincial government provides the funding, sets the core curriculum, standards, and outcomes, ensures standardized measurement and reporting, and supports field research.…

This book scrutinizes the education now being received by 6 million U.S. children with disabilities. It identifies the problems that currently beset special education, analyzes their causes, and suggests solutions. Chapters include: (1) "The Evolution of the Federal Role" (Tyce Palmaffy); (2) "Time To Make Special Education 'Special' Again" (Wade…

This report tells the stories of nine urban elementary schools that served children of color in poor communities and achieved impressive academic results. All of the schools used federal Title I dollars to create Title I schoolwide programs. In these schools, many important change efforts were enhanced through Title I education resources. Though…

This report presents data on high school performance indicators for the 1999-00 school year in Chancellor's District high schools. Data are provided on: background; students (numbers and ethnicity); state accountability indicators in English and language arts (full cohort and seniors in the cohort); state accountability indicators in mathematics…

This report focuses on the participation and performance of students with disabilities on the initial administration of Minnesota's Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs). The MCAs are criterion-referenced tests used for district accountability purposes and as tools for making decisions about curriculum and instruction. Assessments in mathematics and…

This report restates selected Southern Regional Education Board policy recommendations on teacher quality since the early 1980s, outlines key policy areas that need attention, and provides examples of state actions to make needed changes. Regarding teacher preparation, the report discusses university responsibility, partnerships with schools, and…