This article reports on the federal education law's focus in 2004, which is the school district performance. More than two years after President George W. Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act, the far-reaching federal education law is beginning to bear down on school district performance. After a focus mainly on individual schools, 2004 is the…

In this book, the author covers the history, theory, and practices that influence early childhood education along with an emphasis on infant and toddler care and education. He also presents a comparison of the conflict between education planners who support early childhood studies and state school systems whose cost-saving measures are dismantling…

Loveland (Colorado) High School is a comprehensive high school of approximately 1,500 students located 50 miles north of Denver. Two years ago, Loveland was not making annual yearly progress (AYP) in any subpopulation as required by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). The scores of the general population were not much to brag about either.…

Executive Directors of parent centers have very challenging careers. For example, they need to ensure that high quality services are developed and provided; funds are raised; bills are paid on time; staff are hired, trained and supported; boards are recruited and effective; community awareness is high; and reports are accurate and submitted on…

"The No Child Left Behind Act" (NCLB) aims to strengthen state Title I accountability systems to spur the improvement needed to reach the law's goals: that all students will reach proficiency by 2013-14. NCLB requires states and districts to report and act on student test results in a host of new ways. Among the many actions states and…

Current educational reform efforts in Arizona involve three major federal and state language and assessment policies: (a) AZ LEARNS (2001), Arizona's high-stakes testing and school accountability program; (b) No Child Left Behind (2002); and (c) Proposition 203 (2000), which places restrictions on programs for English language learner (ELL)…

Since the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), school leaders have been locked in a continuing struggle to comply with it. Unrelenting student testing, revisions to class schedules, required disclosures, teacher-quality issues, and requirements for supplemental services are straining every sector of school district operations.…

The Arkansas Consolidated School Improvement Planning model (ACSIP) is an annual comprehensive planning and fund distribution design that must be used by all Arkansas public schools. Using the ACSIP model, each school in Arkansas develops a comprehensive school improvement plan. The plan is used, also, as the school's application for all federal…

No Child Left Behind offers many challenges to those who work with children with EBD [emotional and behavioral disorders]. It also offers opportunities never before available for collaboration and cooperation between general and special educators. Two snapshots of opportunities are provided. The first summarizes some of the challenges our field…

Five years after the bipartisan passage of the "No Child Left Behind Act of 2001," the U.S. Department of Education remains dedicated to promoting education excellence in every corner of the country. The Department's "Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2007-12" sets high expectations for America's schools and students, and for…

Secondary content teachers want to accommodate their special education students. They know that their classrooms provide the "least restrictive environment" specified by Public Law 94-142. They understand that inclusion is federally mandated and, even more importantly, often seen as necessary for teens to reach their full potential as…

This paper explores the range of ways in which school districts are using Title I funds for early education through kindergarten and examines how the implementation of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) has impacted those investments. It also makes recommendations for local education agencies (LEAs) interested in creating Title I-funded early education…

The purpose of this research study was to illustrate the ways in which out-of-level testing policies have changed over the three years from 2000-2001 to 2003-2004. In 2000-2001, 12 states were using out-of-level tests to measure student progress toward content standard proficiency. A detailed research study conducted at the end of 2000-2001 to…

In this guide, transition is defined as the period of time when adolescents are moving into adulthood. This guide is designed to (a) help youth and the adults who work with them understand the role of assessment in transition and (b) describe ways to collect and use data that will lead to informed choices based on accurate assessment of each…

In this hearing on the District of Columbia's public school system (DCPS), the Honorable Tom Davis, chairman of the Committee on Government Reform, says in his opening statement that the District's improved health cannot be sustained without a better public school system, and that the lack of performance improvement threatens future growth and…