A large and growing body of research supports the critical relationship between early childhood experiences and successful life-long outcomes. Assessing the readiness of children as they enter school is a high priority. This report describes findings from Year Two of the assessment of school readiness with a larger random sample of children…

This innovative session provides a vehicle for facilitating dialogue and practical application of effective tools for linking human resource development (HRD) strategies with business/organizational strategies. The primary goal is to provide an increased understanding of and skill using practical, research-based approaches and techniques to build…

In Bolivia, malnutrition afflicts about 25 percent of children under 3 and 12-24 percent of women. It contributes to high death rates, immune deficiency, learning disabilities, and low work productivity. Malnutrition and its effects are particularly severe among poor, rural, and indigenous populations. Malnutrition is both caused by and causes…

The Sisters in Science Program (SIS), a 2 year intervention, was designed to impact the lives of 4th and 5th grade girls in a variety of ways. The overall goal of the program was to increase girls' attitudes, perceptions, and achievement in science and mathematics. Considered a multi-leveled intervention, SIS sought to create female-friendly…

Jobs-Plus is an intensive, place-based initiative for increasing employment among public housing residents. Closely aligned with the goals of the 1998 federal Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998, Jobs-Plus aims to transform public housing communities by increasing employment among residents. Tests of this new employment approach…

Putting shared governance to work in the College of Education at Mississippi State University has been much more difficult than many faculty members anticipated. This case study reports the experiences of faculty members working toward shared governance over the 5 years from 1996 to 2001. The shared governance initiative included a 15-member…

The Instructional Support Team (IST) process is mandated in all Pennsylvania schools that include any grade from kindergarten through 6. Middle schools that house grade six or below are required to enroll in IST training and ultimately achieve IST validation. In addition to the IST requirement, all secondary schools are required to have a Student…

This document is an update of Focus on Research: A Guide to Developing Students' Research Skills (Alberta Education, 1990). Focus on Research was developed in response to suggestions from Alberta teachers during the implementation of Focus on Learning: an Integrated Program Model for Alberta School Libraries (Alberta Education, 1985). …

The After-School Corporation (TASC) has completed its sixth year of operations, working with public and private partners across New York City and the state to develop and operate school-based after-school services for public school students in the elementary and secondary grades. Since its founding in 1998, TASC has emphasized twin goals of…

This description of the gifted education program of the Des Moines (Iowa) public schools is organized into five sections: (1) context evaluation, (2) input evaluation, (3) process evaluation, (4) product evaluation, and (5) future planning. The context evaluation section notes that the state-mandated programs provide services to students…

In response to the increased need for remediation, the Illinois Community College Board conducted a study examining the scope, cost, structure, outcomes, and policies of the remedial/developmental education in the Illinois Community College System. Findings indicated an increase in enrollment in remedial/developmental coursework, with math…

This study investigated beginning teachers' perceptions of, preparation for, agreement with, and implementation of Primary School Programs (PSP), one segment of the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA). In 1993, surveys were mailed to 630 first year primary teachers in Kentucky. The surveys asked about 15 critical attributes of PSP identified by…

This report summarizes for fiscal years 1992 and 1993 the adult education activities that were implemented throughout the state of Florida in response to and in support of the Florida Model Literacy Program Act of 1987 (Florida Adult Literacy Act). The report also summarizes activities initiated under "Blueprint 2000," a system of school…

The Accelerated Schools Project (ASP) in Texas attempts to improve schooling for students in at-risk situations. Rather than lowering expectations for these learners, the ASP attempts to accelerate progress by maximizing their talent development. The accelerated schools movement in Texas spread rapidly, but few actual data have been collected…

Part of a much larger study of the JOBS (Job Opportunities and Basic Skills) program, profiles were developed of programs in four communities: San Diego (California); Brooklyn (New York); Philadelphia (Pennsylvania); and Tucson (Arizona), that served welfare clients in innovative and promising ways. The case studies were conducted through site…