"Making the Grade analyzes the condition of public school funding in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The current report presents a picture of school funding in 2020-2021, the first full school year of the COVID-19 pandemic and the most recent data available. The report ranks and grades each state on three measures to answer the…

The "IDRA Newsletter" serves as a vehicle for communication with educators, school board members, decision-makers, parents, and the general public concerning the educational needs of all children across the United States. The focus of this issue is "School Leadership." Contents include: (1) Strategies for School Leaders to Melt…

Are students coming to your class lacking focus, having difficulty connecting with you and their peers, falling behind, or acting out when you instinctively feel they could do better? Do you sometimes feel like you don't have the capacity as a teacher or school leader to give students the support they need to learn and thrive? This book makes the…

This is the first in a series of booklists drawn from recommendations by State and National Teachers of the Year and Finalists for State Teacher of the Year. This booklist is a resource for educators, parents, community members, and policy makers interested in reaching young people on issues of social justice. The collection of more than 200 books…

The World Health Organization (WHO) has made the assessment that COVID-19 (coronavirus) can be characterised as a pandemic and the virus has now spread to many countries and territories. While a lot is still unknown about the virus that causes COVID-19, we do know that it is transmitted through direct contact with respiratory droplets of an…

The "IDRA Newsletter" serves as a vehicle for communication with educators, school board members, decision-makers, parents, and the general public concerning the educational needs of all children across the United States. The focus of this issue is "Education Policy." Contents include: (1) Exciting Advances for Emergent…

The Big Lift™ (Big Lift) is a preschool-third-grade collective impact initiative in San Mateo County, California. The initiative is a partnership of the County of San Mateo, San Mateo County Office of Education, and the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. Launched in 2012, the initiative aims to boost children's reading proficiency by third grade…

This compliance report provides information regarding American Indian students' public school performance and how performance is measured. This information is shared with legislators, educators, tribes, communities and is disseminated at the semiannual government-to-government meetings. The New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED) is…

In response to concerns about children's eating behaviors, the Colorado Nutrition Network developed and tested Food Friends--Making New Foods Fun for Kids. The program was designed as a 12-week social marketing campaign aimed at encouraging preschool-age children to try new foods, such as Ugli Fruit, couscous, and daikon radish. Tasting novel…

Language and literacy skills are critical to success in school. For low-income preschoolers, increasing early literacy and math skills is vital to closing the achievement gap between them and their more advantaged peers. New research shows that an intentional curriculum and professional development and supports for teachers are important…

For young children with and without disabilities, positive outcomes depend on smooth, effective transitions between and within early intervention programs, preschool programs, and public school programs. Now there is a how-to guide that helps professionals across programs work together to make these transitions happen. Coauthored by top expert…

A two-issue volume presents articles describing innovative schools, classrooms, and alternative learning arrangements found in some of today's schools. Issue one contains three articles offering glimpses of an elementary school committed to the Core Knowledge curriculum of E. D. Hirsch, a renovated school devoted to early childhood learning…

This document is a guide to provide the foundation for developing local Head Start programs into strong communities for staff and families. Using workshop and coaching activities, the guide initiates a process of staff training and development designed to foster cooperation between families and staff. These activities encourage Head Start staff…

This booklet lists ways that parents; employers; teachers, administrators, and principals; and grandparents, neighbors, and concerned citizens can help America reach the National Educational Goals. First, the booklet summarizes the National Educational Goals in the areas of school readiness; school completion; student achievement and citizenship;…

This book describes 7 successful foreign language programs that start in preschool or the elementary grades and continue through high school, including both foreign language in the elementary school (FLES) and immersion programs. Written in clear and nontechnical language, this book is designed to be of use to anyone developing an early foreign…