This guide presents the components and implementation phases of the Technical Assistance Center's Chapter 1 Program Improvement Process. The goal of this process is to improve the achievement of educationally disadvantaged students. The following components are discussed: (1) teamwork; (2) informed decision-making; (3) vision setting; (4) research…

This report summarizes the findings of a survey designed to identify strategies that have been found to be successful for dealing with school disciplinary problems. Data were collected through questionnaires responded to by more than 2,000 school administrators, with supplementary data provided by interviews with 100 administrators and information…

Underserved students (low-income, underrepresented minority, or first generation to attend college) do not attend college at the same rate as their white, middle-, or upper-income peers, and research suggests that this discrepancy is due in large part to the lack of opportunity for underserved students beginning in middle school. This briefing…

As states move toward higher expectations for student learning and stringent consequences for results, many school districts are demanding "reciprocity"--a level of resources and support they believe is needed to do the job. These demands are forcing policymakers to struggle with a difficult question: What kind and amount of resources does it take…

Noting that few would dispute the essential role of motivation in promoting academic engagement and achievement, this book serves as a guide to motivating students in grades K-3. The book presents research-based strategies and techniques that are then illustrated in three extended case studies of highly successful motivators, demonstrating how…

The federal education act "No Child Left Behind" calls for accountability for school improvement. This brochure outlines how parents can determine the progress of their child's school, and where to go for additional information and/or services. The brochure answers the following questions: (1) How do I know if my child's school is in…

Discusses factors revealed by educational research that improve student learning and over which administrators and trustees have some control: school atmosphere and instructional time. Offers 14 steps for implementing research findings into educational innovations. (NEC)

The Moss Point, Mississippi, school district uses a semantic mapping teaching approach called "Writing to Learn" that visually and graphically displays ideas and concepts. Students use computers to work on writing projects, and their achievement scores in the state's reading and writing examinations have increased remarkably. Outlines…

This book presents teachers with easy-to-use strategies for engaging students in writing about subject area content. These strategies will help students build a rich vocabulary, gain a deeper understanding of concepts, make connections between ideas, and develop organized thinking processes. This updated edition offers: (1) A thorough discussion…

This booklet for parents offers ideas for utilizing everyday situations in the home to help children improve in school, primarily in reading and mathematics skills. General suggestions are given for helping children to do their best by talking to them, reading to them, listening to them, praising them, watching television with them, keeping them…

School children can learn even more when the school and parents work as a team. Parents can become active members in the school community by attending parent conferences, volunteering, and voting in school elections. Other ways that parents can help the school are by being aware of what their children are learning in school and communicating with…

This book is designed to teach parents the skills necessary to enable them to help their teenage children who are having study problems. The book covers a wide range of possible difficulties from basic reading problems to researching and writing a full-scale report. The book includes discussions of alibis students use to disguise poor study…

The improvement of student engaged time leads to improved instruction and greater academic achievement. Major steps for improving instruction by improving student engaged time are information collection, comparison of information and identification of strategies, selection and preparation of strategies, and implementation and re-evaluation. This…

To raise the achievement of every student in the state, Maryland implemented "Achievement Matters Most," a new plan for public elementary and secondary schools that sets goals in the areas of achievement, teaching, testing, safety, and family involvement in schools. This guide for parents outlines the goals and characteristics of the…

Designed to help students improve their understanding of everything they read, especially the types of reading selections that they will find on standardized tests (such as the ACT and SAT), this guide explains the 3 key steps to strategic reading: preview before reading, underline and annotate while reading, and summarize after reading. It…