Smart Start, North Carolina's early childhood initiative, seeks to improve early childhood programs and ensure that all North Carolina children enter school healthy and ready to learn. This study evaluated outcomes related to Smart Start program inclusion of young children with disabilities: (1) access to inclusive programming; (2) quality of…

This study explored the perceptions of mentor teachers about the impact of mentoring on them. The study involved cross-cultural collaborative research between an American and an Israeli teacher education program and a collaboration within each country between the teacher education program and its elementary professional development school (PDS).…

Profiles of the 1995-96 implementation of the Stewart B. McKinney Act's Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) Programs in 37 states are presented in this document. In these 37 states, at least 173,082 homeless children and youth were served through programs funded by the McKinney Act, and at least 465 local education agencies received…

The Ninth Grade Restructuring Program of the Detroit (Michigan) public schools was designed to restructure the ninth grade in ways that improve academic performance, develop positive attitudes toward learning, improve the school environment, reduce the dropout rate, and increase the graduation rate of students. Features of the program were…

This is a study of the outcomes of the professional development initiative implemented in 1993 by the Virginia Community College System (VCCS). It attempts to answer the question of whether faculty participation in structured professional development activities results in significant improvements in teaching. The primary objective of the study was…

This guide is intended to help parents and practitioners utilize natural settings to meet the developmental and health-related needs of infants and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities. The mission statement of the Connecticut Birth to Three System is summarized and the term "natural settings" is elaborated on. Federal…

This paper presents a formative evaluation report, representing the accumulation of evaluation reports and materials from the first year of the New York Collaborative for Excellence in Teacher Preparation (NYCETP) cooperative workshop efforts. The goal of the collaborative is to produce well-qualified teachers of science and mathematics for New…

This report summarizes Scottish research during 1995 which aimed to assess the take-up, knowledge, understanding, and use of the National Record of Achievement (NRA) in all sectors. The survey found a lack of awareness of the NRA among employers and colleges. One recommendation from the report is for future development and promotion of the NRA in…

This book presents nine case studies describing the experiences of practitioners involved in the first, developmental phase of the Effective Early Learning Research Project, providing a topical discussion of criteria and methodologies for evaluating and improving the quality of learning in a variety of early years settings in the United Kingdom.…

The Quantum Opportunities Program (QOP) is an innovative 4-year year-round pilot program that provides learning opportunities, development opportunities, service opportunities, and summer jobs to small groups of youth from families receiving public assistance. In 1994, the Ford Foundation commissioned an evaluation of the QOP. Between 1989 and…

To determine the effectiveness of special education and transition planning for students with disabilities in Texas, a 6-year study was conducted between 1990 and 1996. Data for the first 5 years were collected, analyzed, and reported by the Texas Education Agency, but the Region XI Education Service Center was designated to complete the sixth…

Second-year outcomes of the Oregon School Improvement and Professional Development Project, which included 54 new and 32 continuing program sites, are presented in this report. Interviews with 187 staff members from 24 sites generated information on program impacts on goal development, assessment activities, school-based management, and…

This manual is intended to guide the development of a primary grade gifted and talented program called Project EAGLE. The program focuses on lateral enrichment, higher level cognitive domain skills, creative thinking, self-directed learning, self-awareness and acceptance, and interpersonal relationships. Students complete assignments in…

Mobile preschool units were developed in New Zealand in the 1970s in response to concerns about adequate provision of early childhood education in isolated areas. There are currently nine such units operating under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education. Each unit is comprised of two kindergarten teachers who travel with equipment to…

This report describes and evaluates the Chapter 1 Early Childhood Education Program used in three classrooms in the 1988-89 school year at Kenton School in North Portland (Oregon). Chapter 1 is the "Introduction." Chapter 2, "Description of the Program," includes the following topics: (1) organization of the program; (2)…