There has been considerable discussion among policymakers and school leaders in recent years about the need to prepare students as early as junior high and high school for the demands of the 21st Century knowledge economy. Efforts to provide this combination of knowledge and skills often fall under the label of "Career and Technical…

For the past 25 years, the Public Policy Forum has compiled and analyzed data from southeast Wisconsin's public school districts to produce an annual report on trends in educational performance and demographics. This year's report, however, may take on greater importance than those of previous years in light of the monumental impacts of the new…

By definition, success in college means fulfilling academic requirements, but nonacademic factors also matter, since they can influence student performance and persistence in college. Nonacademic factors includes: (1) individual psychosocial factors, such as motivation (e.g., academic self-discipline, commitment to school) and self-regulation…

This report, on St. Martin Parish, one of a series for the parishes of Louisiana, has three main objectives: (1) to provide information about schools to parents and the general public, (2) to provide a basis for educational planning, and (3) to increase educational accountability at all levels. It is organized into five sections, each…

In June 2003 the Board of Education adopted "Our Call to Action, Pursuit of Excellence," the second edition of the school system's strategic plan. This update of the original November 1999 Our Call to Action, while remaining focused on the core mission of providing every student with a high-quality, world-class education, strengthened the…

This document is the state-wide strategic plan for public and private higher education in the 1990s in South Carolina. The plan was developed in response to the State Legislative Act 629, "The Cutting Edge." The plan rests on three principles: (1) ensuring access to education to all South Carolinians at whatever levels of student…

The passage of the Children First Act in 1988 ushered in a new era of data collection, analysis, and reporting about the overall quality and condition of education in Louisiana. Implemented in 1990, this major piece of legislation resulted in the publication of the Progress Profiles (School Report Cards, District Composite Report, and the…

Over the last 20 years, many districts and schools have begun to explore year-round education or a modified calendar in response to student under-achievement in low performing schools. Here, the authors detail their two-year study of Title I, year-round, or modified calendar schools that switched from a traditional to a modified schedule in order…

This document presents tools and guidelines to help practitioners transform their high schools into institutions facilitating community-connected learning. The approach underpinning the tools and guidelines is based on the following principles: academic rigor and relevance; personalized learning; self-passage to adulthood; and productive learning…

This book seeks to provide educators, parents, employers, and communities with specific strategies to help teenagers pinpoint the disparity between their preconceived career notions and aspirations, and the realities of the new economic and labor markets. This book advocates helping students develop a plan for career success, which may or may not…

Educational reform poses problems for administrators in rural areas who have limited time and resources. This guide offers a process that can be used by rural administrators to engage the community in activities that will enhance children's success in the classroom and in their adult lives. Section 1 discusses the importance of community…

Princeton City School District Staff and parents created a plan for monitoring student achievement. Each group--teachers, counselors, coaches and club sponsors, parents, students, and administrators--was given responsibilities; parents, for example, were asked to emphasize learning's importance in the home. Biweekly computer printouts note…

This report examines the participation of 42 Phase I Chicago (Illinois) Project CANAL public schools in total site training (TST). TST is intended to provide participating schools and their core planning team (CPT) members with information on instructional strategies and program models for improving academic achievement. Participation by the CPTs,…

It is the theme of this paper that economic prosperity and public education are inseparable; yet, both are lacking in Louisiana. The lack of excellence in education is a liability for stimulating and accelerating the growth and diversification of business and industry. In particular, educational mediocrity is evidenced in the following: (1)…

This guide explains how employers can support math and science achievement in U.S. schools. Section 1 reports data from Third International Mathematics and Science Study regarding the math and science achievement of students in grades 4, 8, and 12 worldwide. Section 2 establishes a link between academic achievement and workplace success through…