This handbook provides guidance for women in Illinois who are victims of domestic violence and spouse abuse. It consists of facts about domestic violence, a survival sheet telling what to do before, during, and after incidents of domestic violence, and advice on seeking emergency assistance and shelter. It then provides advice and resources on…

Research shows that probable causes for disruptive classroom behavior are broken social bonds, violent environment, stress and conflict, and inadequate curriculum coupled with ineffective teaching methods. This report discusses a program to decrease negative peer interaction in order to improve academic achievement and interpersonal relationships.…

An examination of collective gaining (interaction between people in a collective and collaborative transaction in which everyone gains) in educational institutions involves comparisons with collective bargaining, two case studies, a discussion of theoretical bases, and a consideration of do's and don'ts. Collective bargaining is anti-intellectual,…

This report describes a program to establish a positive school climate. The targeted population consisted of elementary students in a low socioeconomic area. The problems of poor interpersonal skills and inappropriate social behaviors were documented through structured observations, surveys, and school records. Analysis of probable cause data…

This report discusses findings of a study that investigated the resolution of disputes in the field of special education. Information was collected from ten states (Alabama, California, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming) on their current dispute resolution systems and from two additional states…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1990 stresses procedural safeguards regarding special education identification, placement, or services. Reviewed a sample of Illinois due process appeal decisions and concluded that the system appears to be serving Illinois educators and parents reasonably well. (20 references) (MLF)

As part of the effort of the Illinois Community College Board to develop and implement statewide and regional planning of occupational programs, input from community college administrators, presidents, and trustees was sought in order that policies, procedures and guidelines for statewide and regional planning could be formulated. Additionally,…

Current research on school effectiveness concludes that differences among schools affect students' academic achievement. An important characteristic of effective schools is providing a safe and secure environment. An example of programs that address this issue are peer mediation or conflict resolution programs. These programs require the combined…

This book closely examines the functioning of the Education Committee of the Sixth Illinois Constitutional Convention. As an administrative assistant to the committee throughout the convention, the author was able to gather detailed information about the committee's activities through personal observation and interviews with committee members.…

This guide is designed to inform Illinois parents of children with disabilities about their childrens' educational rights and about special education services. Topics covered include: (1) steps to getting services, parent participation, and examples of modifications; (2) screening, referral, evaluation, and conference; (3) eligibility categories…

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…

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…

It is essential that school board members understand the important role that public sentiment plays both in the management of the public schools and in the determination of legislated powers of local school boards. The 14 articles from the "Illinois School Board Journal" presented here were chosen for the light they shed on public…

This competency-based secondary learning guide on improving responses to crises is part of a series that are adaptations of guides developed for adult consumer and homemaking education programs. The guides provide students with experiences that help them learn to do the following: make decisions; use creative approaches to solve problems;…

This research project implemented and evaluated a program in interpersonal skill development designed to increase the use of applied social skills at a middle school located in northeast Illinois. Evidence of inappropriate interpersonal skills was gathered by using observation checklists, teacher and student surveys, and discipline referrals.…