Background/Context: Evidence suggests that teachers are a critical resource in realizing high-quality educational opportunities for all students. However, many school systems across the country continue to employ large numbers of teachers who, by most indicators, do not fit into the category of "high quality." Although policy makers at…

In the realm of teacher education, the conversation among teacher educators across the nation invariably leans toward better understandings of the experiences that seem to foster the development of effective teachers. Experience has certainly had a significant influence on the author, a teacher educator committed to teaching for social justice.…

High-quality pre-K that really improves children's outcomes--that's the goal early childhood professionals will work toward with this groundbreaking text, the first volume in the NEW National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education (NCRECE) series. Combining the most current knowledge of top researchers, policy makers, and federal and…

The Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) is a nonprofit organization that works collaboratively with Maryland and 15 other member states to improve education at every level--from pre-K to postdoctoral study--through many effective programs and initiatives. SREB's "Challenge to Lead" Goals for Education, which call for the region to…

According to the 2000 census, high school dropouts had a 52% employment rate, compared to 71% for high school graduates and 83% for college graduates. According to NCSE, the national dropout rate is 30% of which 80% had been chronically absent from school ("School attendance tracking: Challenges and effective practices"), which puts the…

These guidelines have been developed to help the Maryland Department of Education and Maryland schools divest themselves of racial and sexual biases in the educational materials they produce and use. The information on equitable treatment of the sexes contains general content and language usage guidelines and examples to help avoid sexual…

The Maryland program guidelines for non-English-proficient (NEP) and limited-English-proficient (LEP) elementary and secondary school students are designed to help administrators and teachers plan instructional programs that will ensure appropriate educational experiences for these populations. The guide begins with an overview of the…