This study was guided by two key questions: First, what dimensions of continuous improvement do school leaders believe are most important to foster student performance in urban K-12 schools? Second, how does Alabama compare to national leaders regarding their approach to continuous improvement? Initially developed by Meehan et al. (2002), the…

The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) is the nation's first nutrition education program and remains at the forefront of educational efforts to reduce nutrition insecurity of low-income families and youth today. Funded by the USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), EFNEP supports program participants' efforts…

The 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) initiative is the only federal funding source dedicated exclusively to supporting local afterschool, before-school, and summer learning programs. Over the years, the program has evolved to become a local afterschool model -- serving students attending high-poverty, low-performing schools in…

The economy has school districts in a stranglehold. But there is a way out. Despite beliefs to the contrary, the grant money pot has not dried up. The author's book "Successful Grant Writing for School Leaders: 10 Easy Steps" shares strategies and success stories from some of his own 30 school grants and from school districts small and…

Community health education does more than educate communities about health. In the most basic form, community health education seeks to enable citizens to assume responsibility for their own and their community's health through an understanding of their community's health problems and the societal influences that act upon them. Many community…

Recent events of the Alabama Community College System are examined as an historical organizational case study. Critical events are noted along with associated professional literature related to those events and actions. While the study attempts to explain the organizational culture that allowed the rise of unethical leadership, the primary focus…

There are growing pressures for community colleges and regional universities to accommodate the rise in student enrollment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate access and funding issues across public higher education institutions in the United States. Responses to a survey, conducted by the Education Policy Center at the University of…

The purpose of this report was to summarize the impact the economic recession had on funding, access, and overall support for U. S. community colleges in 2008. Mortgage foreclosures, reduction in stock values, and an enormous credit crunch were headlines of economic news in the final quarter of 2007 and throughout 2008. A survey conducted by the…

Hurricane Katrina made landfall near New Orleans, Louisiana, on August 29, 2005. The author discusses the efforts she and other Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI) colleagues made for the welfare of children who suffered from the storm. After her initial search for family, friends, and professional colleagues, she began trying…

Perhaps one of the worst disasters in United States history, Hurricane Katrina is expected to have a lasting impact on the economies of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida with losses in the billions of dollars. Given that the economic foundation of the approximately 600 schools and libraries affected was far from ideal before the…

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…

In this article, the author relates his experience of being attacked for teaching American history at a rural school in north Alabama using a critical, more inclusive approach to American history and social studies. He describes how he struggled with the notion of perspective in teaching primary documents, particularly papers written by those not…

This article describes three women who hold prominent places in the history of the United States. They are: (1) Linda Brown, the symbol of "bringing down segregation" in U.S. schools; (2) Rosa Parks, the mother of the Civil Rights Movement; and (3) Coretta Scott King, an accomplished musician and singer. These women hold their places in…

The Child Welfare League of America is the nation's oldest and largest membership-based child welfare organization committed to engaging people everywhere in promoting the well-being of children, youth, and their families and protecting every child from harm. By publishing a diverse range of views on a wide array of topics, "Children's…

Relying on standardized tests to measure performance and determine accountability obscures the fact that only reciprocal rights and responsibilities can create authentic accountability. A student has the right to expect a teacher will begin on time with a well-prepared lesson, the necessary materials, and the skill to conduct a class. A teacher,…