"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) "Improving the Distribution of Teachers in Low-Performing High Schools": Alliance Brief and Event Examine…

This paper presents the third part of the "Massachusetts Primer on Special Education and Charter Schools." Part III addresses the issues concerning the education of students with disabilities at all stages in the development and operation of a Massachusetts charter school. The information is intended to inform those who are responsible…

Urban Teacher Residencies (UTRs) are an emerging innovation designed to embody best practices in recruitment, screening, preparation, placement, induction, and teacher leadership for urban school districts. UTRs can be a key element of urban districts' portfolio of pathways into teaching and a lynchpin of a larger strategy to strengthen the…

The knowledge, skills, and practices of early childhood care providers and teachers are critical factors in their delivery of high-quality developmental and educational experiences to young children. However, studies have found that the majority of professionals that make up the current early childhood workforce are not adequately prepared. Recent…

IN 1964, THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXTENSION SET UP AN AUTONOMOUS DAYTIME PROGRAM WHICH NOW OFFERS 100 CLASSES, CONFERENCES, AND LECTURE PROGRAMS IN FOUR LOCATIONS IN THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA. HOW THE DAYTIME STAFF FACED PROBLEMS OF ACADEMIC CREDIT, NEED FOR RISK CAPITAL IN AN INNOVATIVE EFFORT, AND MANAGEMENT OF FACULTY RELATIONS AND USE OF…

Each year more than 572,500 international students enroll in more than 3,300 colleges and universities in the United States. Currently, about 84,000 of these students attend community colleges. Why do so many international students choose to pursue higher education in the United States? First, U.S. colleges and universities welcome and value…

Because of advances in psychotropic medications, psychiatric rehabilitation methods, the implementation of civil rights legislation, and empowerment movement of consumers with psychiatric disabilities, students with mental illnesses are increasingly able to access and complete higher education. Disability services offices on college campuses can…

In this essay, possible mechanisms which may lead to discrimination in the allocation of inputs to public education are discussed. A model of market discrimination in the supply curve for public school teachers is explained and tested using data from the Boston Metropolitan Area. The consequences for the distribution of teacher inputs in the…

This article describes in detail the Math English Science Technology Education Project (MESTEP), a 15-month master's level program to recruit and prepare top college graduates to teach math, science, and English in secondary schools. MESTEP is a partnership among the University of Massachusetts, a network of school systems, and corporations.…

Studied the Massachusetts Signing Bonus Program for New Teachers, a teacher recruitment program. Findings for 4 years show many failings of the program, which has produced relatively few urban teachers with low rates of teacher retention. (SLD)

In 1998, Massachusetts instituted a $20,000 Signing Bonus to address concerns about the supply of quality teachers. This article reports on a longitudinal, qualitative study of the experiences of 13 of the original 59 recipients of the Signing Bonus, and analyzes their responses to various incentives embedded within the Massachusetts Signing Bonus…

Data from a survey on patterns in the hiring of new staff, both noninstructional and faculty, in Massachusetts public higher education institutions are presented and analyzed. The survey found that more women and minorities are being hired as full-time employees. More women than men were hired during 1987 and a higher percentage of women were…

In an effort to attract the best and brightest undergraduate students, administrators at U.S. colleges and universities are beginning to leverage their physical facilities as major assets. Academic institutions across the country are launching ambitious, long-term programs that include the construction and renovation of academic buildings. They…

Purpose: Teacher hiring decisions have far-reaching consequences for a school, its students, and faculty. This article examines how new teachers in four states are hired and explores whether the process leads to good matches between these individuals and their schools. The authors conceive of hiring as a two-way process and examine the extent to…

Although states have maintained a focus on recruiting and retaining teachers, many schools and districts still face daunting challenges in ensuring a qualified and competent teaching corps. It is particularly difficult for schools considered hard to staff-those with high concentrations of low-performing, low-income students; high teacher turnover;…