Along with 23 other units in various states, the Illinois Research Coordinating Unit (IRCU) has, since its inception, been committed to bringing about innovations in education. This document presents a summarization of the activities and progress of the unit during the 1972 fiscal year as well as the planned research endeavors for 1973. The unit…

This study investigated professional development as provided through the Teacher Leadership Academy (TLA) model used in rural Illinois area school districts and district consortia. Surveys were distributed to TLA participants that sought their perceptions of the desirability, involvement, and feasibility of school reform in general and the…

This final report describes the activities and outcomes of a federally funded project designed to develop, implement, and evaluate a systemically oriented process model for improving the coordination of education and human services for young children with identified disabilities and their families at the local level. The project developed and used…

"Elementary Science: Where are We Now?" is a review of Elementary Science Education from the 1960s to 1999. Curriculum moved from uniform programs in the 1960s based on two assumptions to a wide diversity of goals, philosophies, and types of materials in the 1970s. The two assumptions behind the elementary science curriculum programs of…

This curriculum guide, which was designed for an exploration/orientation course in home economics aimed at empowering students to make responsible decisions and choices in an ever-changing informational society, contains the following materials: a course description, course objectives, background information for instructors, an abbreviated course…

Third-grade students generally lack the social skills needed to resolve conflicts. This report describes a program for improving the social skills of third graders attending a middle-class suburban school. The researcher selected a resolution program which would address those problems outlined by a classroom teacher in an incident report, a…

Because of a perceived lack in the development and use of evaluation procedures for vocational education in Illinois, a new evaluation system was begun in 1984. It required that at least 20 percent of funded vocational programs be evaluated annually, in compliance with requirements of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act. The evaluation…

The purpose of this paper is to examine the benefits of early childhood education (ECE) for children whose proficiency in English is limited. Specifically, the paper (1) defines the basic characteristics of limited English proficient (LEP) children; (2) discusses educational risk factors and preschool enrollments of LEP children; (3) presents the…

Experiences of pilot-test state agencies in developing an information system are summarized, as part of the State Level Information Base project. The background and functions of each of the eight pilot-test state agencies are described, along with the information systems approach, and planning responsibilities (comprehensive planning, budgeting,…

Since the enactment of state legislation designed to address the underrepresentation of minorities, women, and the handicapped, Illinois institutions of higher education have developed many programs to address this problem. These efforts include a range of approaches from those focusing primarily on motivating students and strengthening their…

The results of a 2 1/2-year study to formulate an overall plan utilizing and coordinating existing services for hearing impaired children are reported. The definition, classification, incidence, and prevention of hearing impairment and the orientation of professional personnel are discussed. Recommendations are given for identification and medical…

On-site evaluation visitations were made to seven institutions participating in fiscal year 1974 Education Professions Development Act (EPDA) 553 and 554 cooperative arrangement programs under the auspices of the Illinois Division of Vocational and Technical Education. A three-part evaluation instrument was designed and administered to project…

Emphasizing human geography, this collection of 10 papers is designed to constitute basic lecture topics for a college level course concerned with Native American human geography and to serve as a guide to published materials and primary data/documentary sources on Native Americans. Comprised of three sections, this publication includes an…

This report summarizes the results of academic, career and technical, adult education, and developmental education programs that were reviewed during fiscal year 2005. Summaries include both program strengths and the common challenges colleges face in keeping instruction relevant while maintaining cost-efficiency. Specific quality improvements at…

This action research project implemented and evaluated an intervention for increasing prosocial behaviors while decreasing inappropriate behaviors among elementary school children. The targeted population consisted of elementary school students in both lower- and upper-middle-class communities located in central Illinois. The problem of poor…