Research shows that employers are less likely to hire workers with little to no experience for the "first jobs" that many younger workers rely on to build their skills and credentials. Without those first jobs, many will face fewer paths to enter the workforce. To help the non-college-bound, the nation's education system needs to create…

The well known 1983 report "A Nation at Risk" recommended that individuals preparing to teach should meet high education standards and demonstrate an aptitude for teaching and competence in an academic discipline--adding also that college and university teacher preparation programs should be judged by how well their graduates meet these…

The Texas Education Agency developed the 2015 Texas State Plan to Ensure Equitable Access to Excellent Educators as part of a U.S. Department of Education (ED) requirement that states develop plans to ensure that all students have equal access to a quality education, regardless of race, ethnicity, or family income. Texas has had an equity plan in…

Policymakers know that improving teaching in our schools requires a systemic look at many policies related to educator effectiveness. For example, teacher preparation programs need to be dramatically improved and strengthened, but without accompanying reform in compensation, even highly effective and innovative schools of education are unlikely to…

Marla Kincaid (Adjunct Instructor, Austin Community College M.A., Developmental Education Department of Curriculum and Instruction Texas State University-San Marcos) interviewed the following leaders in the field of Developmental Education: (1) Dr. Olatunde Ogunyemi, Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership at Grambling State…

Vacation jobs often mix work and play. For some, the job is their ticket to career happiness. The article's first section describes four jobs specific to entertainment and leisure: (1) cruise ship musician; (2) destination marketing manager; (3) resort activities director; and (4) river rafting guide. The second section helps a person decide if a…

This report summarizes compliance and service data from AISD's federal Title I, Part A grant during 2012-2013. Title I, Part A funds were used to serve more than 46,000 students during 2012-2013, and funds were used to provide campus and district services and resources to support students, parents, and staff. For more information, please read the…

In elementary and secondary education governance, the need to build an effective system of public education is the driving force behind the selection of a state's key education leaders. This paper provides a snapshot of what state K-12 governance looks like in SREB states. (Contains 7 tables.)

Too many low-income, Hispanic, and African-American students in Texas's 50 largest districts are not getting their fair share of the best teachers, or the money it takes to pay for them. This report documents sometimes stunning inequities in teacher credentials, teacher experience, teacher turnover and average teacher salaries among schools within…

Describes a project conducted by the Texas Education Agency to (1) develop a catalog of industrial arts and technical competencies needed by a teacher to teach all areas of industrial arts given in the approved curriculum and to (2) define and recommend guidelines for the implementation of competency testing for industrial arts. (JOW)

The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and Texas teacher training institutions are squaring off because of Texas SB 994, a law that eliminates undergraduate degrees in education and caps required credit hours in undergraduate teacher education courses. This article interviews Carl Parker, Hendrik Gideonse, Mary…

Describes the Examination for Certification of Educators in Texas (ExCET) required of all Texans seeking certification as principals, supervisors, or superintendents. Discusses certain test controversies (including test development by an out-of-state firm), the quality of administraor training in Texas, test objectives, and the future of ExCET.…

This document outlines the aerospace-aviation education program of the State of Texas. In this publication the course structures have been revised to fit the quarter system format of secondary schools in Texas. The four courses outlined here have been designed for students who will be consumers of aerospace products, spinoffs, and services or who…

Today, in the United States of America, preparing accomplished teachers who are committed to equity may be among the most important keys to the survival of their democratic way of life. In a society in which the ability to learn is increasingly essential to individual and societal success, the ability to teach powerfully--that is, to teach in ways…

The Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) is a nonprofit organization that works collaboratively with Texas and 15 other member states to improve education at every level--from pre-K to postdoctoral study--through many effective programs and initiatives. SREB's "Challenge to Lead" Goals for Education, which call for the region to lead…