Dr. Carl Smith shares his reflections on a varied career that included many different roles and responsibilities but shared a focus on children with behavior disorders. Dr. Smith also provides insight into where he believes the field is heading and offers his advice to those just entering the field. Perhaps the lasting advice to all is to focus on…

Points out that the agriculture industry is changing and that vocational agriculture students must learn more science than before to be prepared. Iowa formed groups of educators and business representatives to advise on which curricula should be funded. (JOW)

Discusses educational changes from a system perspective. Sets forth a series of assertions based on eight years of experience with special-education reform initiatives in Iowa. Presents generalizations from an experiential base regarding critical components and characteristics of change process. Gives specific recommendations for persons…

Iowa has implemented educational reform by providing state financing without state mandates. This paper describes the achievements of Iowa's decentralized educational reform effort. Phase I of the reform effort provided salary relief to the beginning teacher, Phase II provided salary relief for the experienced teacher, and Phase III linked future…

A Web site can be the unifying force among schools with in a district. Many approaches work. Anyone who examines a few school district Web sites will appreciate the variation in content and design each provides. For example, Des Moines Iowa Public Schools, a district in which many in the community speak a second language, provides Web content in…

Offers suggestions for gifted education programs in rural school districts, based on practices used in some eastern Iowa districts. Discusses such considerations as program planning, program implementation, program staffing, expanding or supplementing the regular curriculum for gifted students, and facilitating interaction among participating…

Summarizes three conference presentations on the effects of the economic climate on academic libraries in Iowa. These presentations focused on the impact of austerity budgets on collection development, library services and personnel, and possible management approaches to retrenchment in these areas. (CLB)

The members of the Iowa Association of Adult and Continuing Education Deans and Directors believe that Iowa's community colleges are well positioned to provide the high quality, cost-effective, work force training required to prepare a skilled work force for Iowa for the 21st century. Iowa's community colleges are the logical providers of work…

Identifies trends that have lead to a diminished identity and position for community services and continuing education programs in Iowa's community colleges. Urges continuing education practitioners to take on a leadership role with respect to economic development activities and programs for business and industry. (DMM)

There has been a recent upsurge of interest in Iowa in educational equity, particularly for minorities, women, children for whom standard English is a second language, and children with physical and mental disabilities. Political and educational sensitivity has led from a de-emphasis on defects and disadvantage to an emphasis on differences and…

Examines the efforts of an elementary school in Iowa to combine Basic School and multi-age instruction. Quotes from teachers to describe how (trying not just to educate children but to teach them how to manage their own education) the school's curriculum is structured around big ideas and broad concepts that provide multiple entry points for the…

The constant flow of wealth from the countryside to the city arises from farms being bought out by co-heirs, educating children to move away, rents paid to absentee landlords, profits generated locally but landing elsewhere, and overreliance on property taxes. Overviews problems specific to northwestern Iowa and how they will affect the future of…

This article explores the global education controversy by examining challenges made on three global education programs; discusses the implications of the challenges for teacher educators in preservice, inservice, and graduate programs; and presents practical suggestions to help teacher educators enhance the quality of the educational process. (SM)

This report seeks to provide an objective review of Iowa's educational services to students with attention deficit disorders (ADD), and to present recommendations for maintaining and enhancing these services. State laws and rules and federal legislation and regulations guiding such students' eligibility for special education programs and services…

In 1986 the General Assembly of the state of Iowa decided that it was important to develop statewide plans for educational telecommunications systems use among universities, community colleges, and secondary schools. The Iowa plan was developed by: (1) defining the basics of the telecommunications systems under consideration; (2) determining…