"Focus on Basics" is the quarterly publication of the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy. It presents best practices, current research on adult learning and literacy, and how research is used by adult basic education teachers, counselors, program administrators, and policymakers. "Focus on Basics" is dedicated to…

This paper focuses on effective transition-to-school programs. Using a framework of 10 guidelines developed through the Starting School Research Project, the paper provides examples of effective strategies and transition programs. In this context, the nature of some current transition programs is questioned, and the curriculum of transition is…

This directory profiles 60 secondary school programs designed to accommodate the educational needs of immigrant students with low level English and/or native language skills, and often a background of limited formal schooling in their native countries. Most are intended as transitional programs, attended until the student can be placed in the…

The School-to-Work Opportunities Act, which was designed to improve student learning, in-school retention, and transition to the workplace, requires the restructuring of secondary education and the extensive involvement of business in preparing youth for the workplace. School-to-work initiatives reflect the conditions of the settings and contexts…

This reference manual contains information on transition services for students with disabilities in New Jersey. Section 1 provides an overview of transition services and the five-year systems change grant New Jersey has received from the U.S. Department of Education. Also included is information on New Jersey education law, the four regional…

This paper explores efforts to link early childhood education and care (ECEC) with schools in countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), other than the United States. The first part of the paper discusses the context for children's transitions from ECEC to school, the ways in which transitions are understood,…

This publication is comprised of two brief guides, both of which offer strategies, practices, and resources for including students with disabilities in school-to-work systems. The first focuses on how to include students with disabilities in accountability systems. Strategies are offered to help: (1) view standards from the perspectives of all…

The CRitical Issue Bibliography (CRIB) Sheet describes resources related to summer bridge programs. As state and federal policies increase access to higher education, many institutions have experimented with summer bridge programs to aid new populations in the transition from high school to college. This CRIB Sheet provides an overview of bridge…

This study investigated the various funding sources used by programs which serve and support youth and young adults with emotional and/or behavioral disabilities (EBD) as they transition into adulthood. Initial data from a survey of 18 program sites in Florida that are serving this target population resulted in the identification of more than 40…

A study of the aftercare services offered juvenile delinquents after residential placement was conducted in New York State. The emphasis was on the Juvenile Aftercare Services program, which serves the majority of youth being conditionally released into the community. Based on findings from the study involving interviews and site visits, the…

This handbook provides guidance to schools operating Community-based Vocational Education (CBVE) programs for students with disabilities and encourages the adoption of CBVE programs by schools not presently using this approach. By following the information and examples contained in this handbook, schools can proceed with confidence to operate…

Research indicates that adolescents with disabilities need high-quality transitional programs to make the transition to work and independent living, and that barriers inherent in rural areas and schools make service delivery for transition extremely difficult. Current employment patterns suggest that small rural businesses and rural entrepreneurs…

The transition to formal schooling is a landmark event for millions of children, but transition practices commonly used may not be well-suited to the needs of children and families. This research and policy brief, a quarterly synthesis of issues addressed by investigators and affiliates of the National Center for Early Development and Learning,…

A study was conducted in England in 1997 to consider materials that were available to support students making a transition from compulsory education to the study of mathematics in noncompulsory post-16 education. This report on the study also contains an outline of the basic structures of the English education system and its assessment provisions.…

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) administered Illinois Measure of Annual Growth in English (IMAGE) tests in Spring 2004. IMAGE tests are administered to Limited English Proficient (LEP) students who have been in either a Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE) or Transitional Program of Instruction (TPI) program since September 30 of…