This practitioner brief is the first in a series highlighting concrete strategies that educational leaders can use to increase equity in education, by building supportive learning environments that meet all students' social and emotional needs. This introductory brief starts by laying out the aspects of a student's social and emotional well-being…

Given the internal and external challenges Muslim students face, it is important that student affairs practitioners find ways to assist Muslim students in their adherence to their religion as they pursue their degree. In this chapter, the authors present a brief introduction to Islamic tenets, discuss challenges facing Muslim college students, and…

This paper discusses the creation of essential conditions in schools and school jurisdictions in order to support the inclusion of the diverse range of learning preferences and needs found in today's classrooms. In order for inclusion to be successful educators need to work towards an educational climate and set of practices which include the…

This manual outlines major considerations involved in undertaking screening and assessment of preschool and kindergarten children. It also describes various approaches to screening and assessment and discusses the links between assessment and intervention. After an introductory chapter, discussion focuses on the role of assessment, early childhood…

This article suggests three broad categories of exceptionally able children, discusses the needs of exceptional students for recognition and understanding, and outlines several approaches to identification and provision. A whole-school approach is advocated for provision of education to gifted students, and a "mind-map" of such provision is…

Reports findings from a national survey of 1,269 representative colleges and universities, concerning institutional perceptions of the basic skills preparation of entering freshmen, the extent of students' needs for basic skills help at various types of institutions, and the ways in which institutions are responding to student needs. (AYC)

This paper begins by reviewing evidence nationally, provincially, and locally that many students drop out of secondary school; that failure rates in core subjects in grades 9 and 10 in Ontario are high; and that ninth graders in Ontario reported being concerned about their school progress, their level of preparation and readiness for high school,…

Examines issues medical schools must consider before requiring students to own computers, including appropriate kind of computer, impediments to teaching with computers, and how they are to be used. Data from a study of 15 medical schools that require computers, surveyed information on software, hardware requirements, expectations of student use,…

The national dialogue about the achievement gap can help policy makers and educators find ways to better serve minority students. However, school policy and practice must be founded not on perceptions of group stereotypes, the authors argue, but on knowledge about each student's needs and strengths. In this article, the authors present information…

Reviews historic approaches to grade retention, what research does and does not show about retention, and some factors to weigh when considering retention. Focuses on models developed by H. Wayne Light and Laurence Lieberman. Includes a sample elementary school promotion policy and a sample retention referral form. (IW)

This booklet provides a broad-based definition of the population of students with special health needs and offers information about specific subcategories of conditions. These subcategories include traumatic brain injury; pediatric human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS-related complex; and…

A survey of 787 colleges and universities investigated institutions' payment and pricing practices designed to attract and retain students. Issues examined include acceptance of credit cards, cash discounts, prepayment options, differential pricing based on credits or programs, and the rationales for and results of the policies. Results reflect…

The physical, emotional, and intellectual impact of nutrition on children's ability to learn is the subject of this guide for school personnel. The guide is divided into two parts and includes two appendices. Part 1, "What We Know About the Relationship Between Nutrition and Learning," reviews research linking nutrition and academic…

This booklet presents questions that can be used by a college or university task force looking at the freshman year experience and/or the broader undergraduate experience. It can also be utilized to aid the process of campus self-study or assessment. The questions are arranged under three major headings: (1) Campus Policies, Processes, and…

In 1983, Santa Monica College (SMC) created a task force to assess the college's need for child care services and to devise possible service models for consideration. Subcommittees were formed to address student and staff child care needs; ways of funding child care services; criteria for possible child care facilities and sites which met these…