The tiny town of Niangua, Missouri, made national headlines in 2008 when a rare cluster of winter tornadoes tore across the state on an unseasonably warm January night. The twisters killed a Niangua woman in her trailer home and destroyed numerous other structures. News photos of the trailer debris were a sobering reminder of the vulnerability of…

Background: Researchers have identified numerous policies and programs effective in reducing public health problems, yet many of these programs and policies have not been implemented throughout communities and states. Purpose: To assess the use of research-based information among leaders in the local public health system. Methods: We conducted a…

In comments on the proposed federal guidelines for stimulus funds, some researchers say there's no evidence for the policies touted. Among education researchers, one complaint about the U.S. Department of Education under former President George W. Bush was that it relentlessly promoted "scientific research in education," while at the…

The author's experience as the faculty senate chair at the University of Mississippi (UM) during a year of budget crises is likely typical of many other university senate leaders. He found that major challenges face senates trying to play a role in developing budget reduction recommendations. These include: (1) an absence of understanding on the…

Online safety is obsolete. A concept little changed since the 1990s, it's one size fits all, emphasizing fear instead of facts, with young people stereotyped as potential victims in a hostile media environment. It's past time for Online Safety 3.0. Why 3.0? Previous versions--1.0 and 2.0--focused on inappropriate content, adult-to-child crime, and…

In recent studies, youths in the United States have demonstrated a remarkable lack of cultural literacy. As the world is becoming increasingly interconnected, it is imperative that students enhance their understanding of other cultures. A classroom correspondence match with a Peace Corps volunteer through the Coverdell Peace Corps World Wise…

Students without disabilities traditionally either enter postsecondary education or seek employment after high school graduation. These outcomes are not routinely experienced by youth with disabilities, however. Instead, they often face an uncertain future--one that may include unemployment or underemployment, social isolation, or dependence,…

In this testimony, Patricia Whitefoot talks on behalf of the National Indian Education Association with regard to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act Reauthorization and addressing the needs of diverse students. Native education has made significant strides since NIEA's founding. Native education, however, still faces enormous challenges,…

This issue of "Learning Times" includes a feature on understanding dyslexia. Dyslexia is a brain-based, often inherited, disorder that impairs a person's ability to read. It is not the result of low intelligence, lack of motivation, sensory impairment, or inadequate instruction. Early diagnosis of dyslexia is critical, and a child can be…

Within the City of Chicago, a wide variety of public and private programs are geared towards preparing adults and youth for the workforce. This report of workforce development programs provides an overview of federal, state, and city workforce development programs within the City of Chicago through a detailed inventory table of the programs…

In February 2009, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) commissioned RAND Europe to review approaches to evaluating the impact of research as part of their wider work programme to develop new arrangements for the assessment and funding of research--referred to as the Research Excellence Framework (REF). The objectives were 1) to…

This report is a culmination of the ideas presented during AASHE's Summit on Sustainability in the Curriculum to address how higher education institutions can further infuse sustainability topics into college and university curricula. Recognizing the scale of the challenges faced by higher education and the urgency with which changes must be…

The European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA), in cooperation with the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA, UK), organised a seminar on theme "Internal Quality Assurance--Enhancing quality culture" which was held on 8-9 June, 2010 in London, United Kingdom. The seminar marked the fourth annual meeting of the ENQA…

Students who are in foster care need principals who are informed about policy, aware of their needs, and willing to be advocates for them. Multiple school placements often result in significant gaps in the education of students in foster care. If they also have disabilities, they may lose special programs and services when they change placements.…

Critical pedagogy is an instructional approach to teaching that employs a theoretical framework by which social injustices are critiqued. This type of pedagogy encourages the learner to critique obstructions to the learner's full participation in society, and encourages critical collective action, through the engagement of the learner's…