After years of trying to fix trouble schools one at a time, a number of states are weighing stronger measures for intervening in low-performing school districts. The shift is seen as a response to the federal No Child Left Behind Act. States are turning in a bigger way to district-level strategies, in part because as their own accountability…

In January 2005, then-Secretary of Education Rod Paige submitted the Department of Education's revised National Education Technology Plan (NETP) to Congress in compliance with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). The plan, titled "Toward a New Golden Age in American Education," recommends seven "Action Steps" urging…

In order to comply with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 2004, states must collect valid data as needed to report annually to the Secretary of Education. This requirement, combined with those set forth in the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation, has led states to collect and analyze data about their programs, districts,…

Accountability and assessment are critical components to the success of schools today. As leaders of school districts, superintendents in Texas and across the nation are faced daily with meeting this challenge. While doing so, they must remember that their priority commitment is not to testing programs, but to helping children achieve.…

This article presents an excerpt of a declaration from the United States Department of Education's "Strategic Plan: 2002-2007." The declaration signifies in no uncertain terms that the battle waged by critics of alternative research methods continues, and is likely to intensify. The denigration of research methods which decline to adhere…

This is the second volume of "State Strategies and Practices for Educational Technology" by the National Educational Technology Trends Study (NETTS). NETTS is a federally sponsored evaluation of the Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT) program, a program authorized by Title II, Part D, of the "Elementary and Secondary…

Today, states and districts are zeroing in on standards-based learning and high stakes test scores--even benchmarking results in advance of the school year. Technology planning is--or should be--a key part of any such learning design. With careful planning for integration districts can be helped to more successfully address standards and, in…

Transition planning to assist students with severe disabilities to move from school to a positive adult future is of great concern for the young people and their families and friends. For more than a decade, the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) within the U.S. Department of Education has researched quality of life issues in transition…

For more than half a century, school psychologists have considered the need for role expansion and revision if they are to meet the poignant needs of children, youth, families, and school personnel. In fact, as previously discussed, school psychology practitioners and trainers have come together for a variety of conferences hoping to transform our…

The Kentucky System of Intervention (KSI) is a framework for providing systematic, comprehensive services to address academic and behavioral needs for all students, preschool through grade 12. The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) has developed this guidance document to provide resources in planning and decision making as districts and…

In the wake of the federal No Child Left Behind legislation, standardized tests have become increasingly high-stakes. Yet English language learners (ELLs) typically score far below native English speakers, creating pressure to "teach to the test." This article shares findings from an intensive year long study in 10 New York City high…

The main challenges faced by high schools are preparing students for the workforce of the 21st century, and for post secondary educational opportunities. Yet in a 2004 review of the graduation requirements of all 50 states, Achieve Inc. discovered that "no state requires its graduates to take the courses that reflect the real-world demands of…

"Evaluation of Title I Accountability Systems and School Improvement Efforts: Findings from 2002-03" examines the implementation of Title I accountability systems and school improvement efforts at the state, district and school levels. Based on surveys of all states, a nationally representative sample of districts, and a sample of…

Much has been written that describes the history of the concept of "technological literacy" and, more recently, a literature attempting to chart emancipatory technoliteracies has emerged over the last decade. Our article begins with a brief examination of the meanings that "technology" and "literacy" have received…

Just weeks before states release their lists of schools that have not met "adequate yearly progress" targets under the main federal K-12 law, many states are still negotiating with federal officials over changes to their accountability plans designed to reduce those numbers. The federal No Child Left Behind Act, a 2 1/2-year-old revision…