This brief summarizes the findings from a study that surveyed principals of rural schools nationwide that were designated as in need of improvement and that used the transformation model under the federal School Improvement Grant (SIG) program. It provides information about the use of SIG funds in rural areas and is designed to help state leaders…

Policymakers and early childhood experts have long recognized the important role early childhood programs play in meeting the needs of young vulnerable children. Federal programs such as Head Start and Parts 619 & C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) are specifically designed to target young, vulnerable children and…

The passage of the Goals 2000: Educate America Act and the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) in 1994 represented a fundamental shift in the character of federal aid to education and demanded new roles and responsibilities for states, districts, and the federal government. This handbook presents findings from a…

Forming part 2 of the eighth annual report on the condition of education in the United States, this publication describes the programs and activities of the National Center for Education Statistics. Both current and projected programs are discussed in order to provide educators and policy makers some insight into the services offered by the…

In 1982, the Education Commission of the States conducted an initial survey of school improvement programs to document state efforts to improve the quality of education in the public schools. Based on a new survey conducted in June and July of 1983, this paper updates the earlier survey and describes state-level school improvement activities begun…

A project is described that helps states provide more comparable, complete, and timely educational information for the annual Common Core of Data (CCD) to be used for policy-making decisions. The Education Data Improvement Project (EDIP), funded by the National Center for Education Statistics, began in the fall of 1985. In the first phase/year,…

The status of handicapped children in Head Start programs is discussed in this annual report to the Congress of the United States. Chapter 1 provides an overview of Head Start policies on services to handicapped children. Chapter 2 reports on the number of handicapped children enrolled, types of handicapping conditions, and severity of handicaps.…

The methodology used during the 2-year project involving 14 case studies of rural education improvement programs consisted of 4 sets of overlapping activities: (1) gearing up and completing the study design; (2) site visits, data collection, and case study write ups; (3) data analysis; and (4) technical assistance. The gearing up period was…

This paper discusses three Federal programs related to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): (1) Part C, the Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities; (2) Section 619 of Part B, the Preschool Grants Program; and (3) Part D, National Activities to Improve Education of Children with Disabilities. An overview of each of…

A description of the role and status of the English language in the Yemen Arab Republic begins with a general statement concerning the distribution of English speakers and the use of English language materials. Subsequent sections outline: (1) the use and status of English within the educational system at all levels, including teacher education;…

A description of the role and status of the English language in Cameroon begins with an overview of the distribution of English speakers and the common uses of English. Subsequent sections outline (1) the use and status of English within the educational system at all levels, including teacher education; (2) the availability of English language…

A description of the role and status of the English language in Iraq begins with an overview of the distribution of English speakers and the most common uses of English. Subsequent sections outline: (1) the use and status of English within the educational system at all levels, including teacher education; (2) the availability of English language…