The "IDRA Newsletter" serves as a vehicle for communication with educators, school board members, decision-makers, parents, and the general public concerning the educational needs of all children across the United States. The focus of this issue is "Teaching Quality." Contents include: (1) State Policy Recommendations for…

Research says that teacher diversity benefits all students, regardless of race or Ethnicity. However, while the majority of students in the U.S. are of color, only about 20% of teachers are of color. Increasing the racial and cultural diversity of the teacher workforce takes a statewide commitment to collecting and analyzing educator workforce…

As part of a geography-based minority recruiting program (MRP), teachers were asked to serve as mentors for teams of high school students interested in both postsecondary education and geography as a major discipline or career path. The goal was to determine whether teacher participation in MRP programs was an effective tool to mentor…

By 2025, 22 percent of the U.S. college-age population will be Latino, a level already exceeded in four states: California, Florida, New York, and Texas. However, today, only seven percent of Latinos ages 18 to 24 have an associate's degree or higher compared to 9 percent of African Americans, 16 percent of white, and 25 percent of Asians of the…

As the college-age Latino population continues to increase throughout the nation, meeting the country's future human capital and workforce needs make it imperative to improve outcomes for Latino students today. As public attention is focused on existing achievement gaps, educators and policymakers are seeking ways to improve educational outcomes…

The Transition to Teaching (TTT) program is described in Part C, Innovations for Teacher Quality, Subpart 1, Chapter B of the "No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act." Its purposes are "(a) to recruit and retain highly qualified mid-career professionals (including highly qualified paraprofessionals) and recent graduates of an institution…

This guide was developed in response to the Chapter 1 Migrant Education Program (1967). It provides Texas school districts with a framework for establishing identification and recruitment programs for migrant students. As the key to effective recruitment practices, the framework of a well-planned training program for local recruitment personnel…

By 2025, 22 percent of the U.S. college-age population will be Latino, a level already reached in four states: California, Florida, New York, and Texas. Meeting the country's future human capital and workforce needs make it imperative to improve outcomes for Latino students today. As public attention is focused on current achievement gaps,…

Presented are the findings of a survey of students who are, or have been, participants in the King Foundation Forgivable Loan Program in Texas for preservice secondary mathematics or science teachers. Data on the number of respondents in the program and not in the program, and their reasons for staying or leaving (that is, teaching mathematics or…

This issue focuses on what recent research from Tennessee, Texas, Massachusetts, and Alabama says about the most significant factor that impacts student achievement: the teacher. After presenting teacher effectiveness data from the four states, it discusses what makes an effective teacher, focusing on the need for strong verbal and math skills,…

This guide is designed to assist teachers who are beginning their first year of teaching Texas' Health Science Technology Education program. Discussed in the guide's seven sections are the following: the state's educational system, the teacher-student relationship, and teachers' internal struggles; planning/scheduling; classroom management…

This handbook was written to help teachers of adult basic education (ABE) adapt their teaching methods for hearing impaired persons. Written in a narrative format, the guide covers the following topics: ABE for the hearing impaired, hints for working with the hearing impaired without an interpreter, peer pairing, interpreters in the classroom…

This handbook is designed to help Texas junior/community college administrators and instructor-coordinators of marketing and distributive education to plan, implement, operate, and expand mid-management programs. The handbook contains five sections. Following the introductory first section that reviews the purpose, history, philosophy, and…

This manual is designed to assist vocational educators in meeting the needs of students preparing for careers in nontraditional occupations. Discussed first are the effects of sex bias and stereotyping on employment and earning patterns, barriers to nontraditional training, and the role of vocational education in equal access. Discussed in a…

"Chronicle of Higher Education" presents an abundant source of news and information for college and university faculty members and administrators. This July 2, 2004 issue of "Chronicle of Higher Education" includes the following articles: (1) "The Provost as Gatekeeper: A Former Provost Offers Advice on Managing the…