This edited volume offers an insightful theoretical conceptualization of issues central to 21st century foreign language learning and teaching. Drawing on research results obtained in the fields of pedagogy, social psychology and sociology of education, this book provides a comprehensive practical exploration of issues experienced by researchers…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the main federal statute governing special education for children from birth through age 21. IDEA protects the rights of children with disabilities to a free appropriate public education (FAPE). It also supplements state and local funding to pay for some of the additional or excess costs of…

Teacher-educators and policy-makers recognize that ongoing training and support for high quality implementation of curricula can be a vital component of systems that ensure the value of education experiences, particularly for students at-risk of school failure (Meisels, 2007; Pew Charitable Trusts, 2007; Pianta, 2005). In particular, there is…

Bearing in mind the requirements of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation, Louisiana's Steering Committee projected performance targets through the year 2014 for the important areas of: (1) Graduation with a Diploma; (2) Dropout Rate; (3) Placement, ages 6-21 and ages 3-5; (4) Achievement Performance Levels, and (5) Discipline. Annual gains were…

This book brings together for the first time research informing leadership practice in special education from preschool through transition into post-secondary settings. It provides comprehensive coverage of 1) disability policy 2) leadership knowledge, 3) school reform, and 4) effective educational leadership practices. Broader in scope than…

In this introduction to three articles on collective bargaining the author outlines concerns and questions about the proposition of public referendum as a means of resolving negotiation impasses. (MD)

In 2006, more than 6 million individuals were victimized by violent crimes. Although violence is below levels of the early 1990s, it remains high. The extent of violence and its impact highlight a critical need to develop and implement effective programs to reduce violence and victimization. Communities have initiated a wide range of such…

Examines what can and should be done to clarify and/or resolve scientific conflicts with policy implications. Includes a typology for classifying controversies, mechanisms, and objectives with regard to scientific disputes with policy implications. This apparatus aims to show the differences in disputes and in approaches to deal with them. (JN)

Accountable school leaders are the key to school improvement, but while school leadership has been described often in many different ways, accountability has been mentioned only in general terms. In "The Expert School Leader," the authors detail a new approach to identifying, analyzing, acquiring, and using specific competencies that are needed…

School districts in Dallas, Texas, and Tulsa, Oklahoma, successfully encouraged corporations to play an active part in education by adopting schools. The characteristics and benefits of the two programs are briefly described, and some steps to ensure smooth cooperation between school and business personnel are suggested. (PGD)

This document presents a written testimony as submitted on June 1, 2001, in Downey, California, regarding long-term effects on students from being bullied or victimized by peers. Such victimization is now considered a warning sign of potentially violent students. Bullying, prevalent in schools, has detrimental effects upon children. It involves…

Instead of a cast of characters, not unlike those of the television show "Seinfeld," school boards should be an ensemble. When a board collaborates in a trusting, positive atmosphere of mutual respect, these qualities are ultimately reflected in the classroom. Lists six questions that can help difficult boards find ways to work together. (MLF)

This paper depicts the origins, operation, and success of the Community Mediation Service established at the University of Hawaii, Manoa in 1979. During the 1970s, a national impetus for change arose out of stresses in the justice system including clogged courts, expensive and lengthy litigation, distrust of lawyers, and dissatisfaction of both…

The "management of crisis," as opposed to crisis management," requires prior planning. Boards of education that habitually practice courtesy and have some knowledge of group dynamics do not create controversy by their own actions and will have fewer controversial meetings to manage. Policymakers should know ahead of time what issues are likely to…

A well-written school design contract can protect both the school board and the architect. The language of the "Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Architect," provided by the American Institute of Architects, can be expanded to include terms written specifically for the owner's protection. (MLF)