Although pretend play has long been part of the early childhood curriculum, recent emphasis on accountability in education seems to have led to a decline in the general understanding of the contribution that high-quality play can make to children's cognitive development in the early years. This digest defines the cluster of concepts related to…

Although pretend play has long been part of the early childhood curriculum, recent emphasis on accountability in education seems to have led to a decline in the general understanding of the contribution that high-quality play can make to children's cognitive development in the early years. This Spanish-language Digest defines the cluster of…

Despite growing interest in children's policy and in research regarding childhood bilingualism and language acquisition, the early care and education of linguistically and culturally diverse preschoolers remains a matter of much concern. Relative inattention at the level of policy to the needs and interests of such children is due to several…

This monograph examines the issue of school violence and the ways to eliminate it. The goal is to return schools to their status as safe havens for children to learn, achieve, and acquire the skills they need to become successful and productive adults. Section I defines school violence and reviews data on its prevalence. Section II discusses…

Suggestions for early childhood educators on how to provide developmentally appropriate practices and teaching methods are offered. Suggestions concern: (1) making decisions about entrance and placement; (2) evaluating a program's accomplishment of goals; (3) planning and individualizing curriculum and instruction; and (4) promoting appropriate…

This bibliography, the fifth in the Urban Schools Bibliography series, provides urban school personnel, researchers, and policymakers with information on important issues, programs, and practices in urban education. Topics covered in the bibliography include equal education, school policy, school administration, curriculum, testing and evaluation,…

The 1998 Workforce Investment Act (WIA) consolidates more than 70 programs and gives states the flexibility to partner with local governments to develop streamlined services providing universal access. Because adult education and postsecondary vocational education are required partners in the one-stop systems being established through Title I of…

The document contains summaries of papers and ensuing discussions presented at a 1985 symposium on exceptional American Indian children and youth. The opening address (by Beverly Valley, a parent and school board member) stresses the role of parents and the need for less culturally biased testing. Two papers deal with parent and family…

A closeup look is provided of a trend in the field of educational policy in the 1980's: the establishment of university-based centers that have a mission of providing state policymakers with nonpartisan, reliable data on education policy options. The development and characteristics of education policy centers are examined. The first section…

This report is intended to help policymakers understand the benefits of class-size reduction (CSR). It assesses the costs of CSR, considers some research-based alternatives, and explores strategies that will help educators realize the benefits of CSR when it is implemented. It examines how CSR enhances student achievement, such as when the…

Educational policy discussions typically exclude the teacher's voice and ignore constraints of time, energy, and resources that challenge teachers and hinder policy implementation. The case studies presented in this monograph attempt to restore the teacher's perspective. Rather than analyzing policy shortfalls stemming from teacher "apathy" or…

This report offers help to teachers, teacher trainees, students, and local foreign language professional organizations in moving out of their traditional environments and into the community where they may identify natural constituencies and develop public support for foreign language programs. The first section presents an outline for a six-part…

This digest reviews a variety of the policies, programs, and practices to prevent youth violence so that local leaders can base decisions on the experience of other communities. The effectiveness of school violence prevention initiatives is increased by public policies that reinforce their message and by community programs that attempt to prevent…

The research literature on types of student retention, correlates of retention, and action strategies to improve retention is reviewed. Retention or student persistence can be assessed in terms of completion of a degree of certificate, a program but not a degree, or a term or course. Retention may also be persistence to attain a personal goal but…

The issue of providing public education for undocumented students (children of foreign-born persons who reside and/or work in the United States without proper permission from immigration authorities) is receiving current attention for two major reasons: (1) fear that the financial burden on local taxpayers will increase in areas with increasing…