As authors of a successful 2017 application for ''Exemplary Professional Development Schools (PDS) Achievement,'' the authors are honored to share portions of the application they submitted. While the data and information included focuses on the 2015-16 academic year, the growth of the PDS partnership took place over many years and represents the…

The Indiana Commission for Higher Education has for years acknowledged and addressed the equity and achievement gaps that exist in the state's education pipeline. In 2013, the Commission passed a resolution to close Indiana's educational achievement gaps by 2025. In 2021, gaps are closing, but not quickly enough. Data must be the driving force…

Understanding the context of rural school settings is critical to beginning school district leaders. Rural communities present multifaceted challenges that leaders must embrace as diverse community expectations unfold. The majority of Kansas school districts are in rural settings. Mentoring and induction shapes the experiences encountered during…

In 2017 Georgia instituted a flexibility policy through which school districts enter into performance contracts with the state that grant districts waivers from state rules and allow schools and districts greater autonomy. In exchange, schools and districts must meet academic performance targets. The performance contracts are intended to…

The "FY 2023 Annual Performance Plan" details the Department's planned strategies and activities to achieve the Strategic Goals and objectives in the "U.S. Department of Education Fiscal Years 2022-2026 Strategic Plan" (see ED625432) as well as the performance indicators that will be used to assess progress on the strategic…

In the summer of 2011 (June 16-19), the MayDay Group met in Salt Lake City, Utah (USA) for MayDay Colloquium 23, with presentations and discussions on the theme,"The End(s) of Music Education? A Call for Re-Visioning": In a time of rapidly changing political processes, power relations, and policies, music educators are challenged to…

Rural students are a unique population who tend to be overlooked on campuses, despite having hurdles to overcome that some argue are similar if not greater than their peers in urban areas. Rural students are more likely to graduate high school than urban and suburban students according to the NCES and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).…

Data and information are shared about: (1) First Nations educational infrastructure--new schools, repairs and renovations of schools, project planning, teachers' residences, and operational and maintenance funds. (2) The monitoring of primary and secondary education on reserves. (3) Challenges of schools located in remote areas and with fewer than…

Special education teachers have a unique set of skills and opportunities to become leaders in the field of education. Some rural special education teachers, however, may not see themselves as potential leaders or believe they have opportunities to be leaders. This article provides guidelines for rural special education teachers to consider in…

State and local education agencies across the country face challenges related to understanding and managing their teaching staff to best help students learn. Statewide longitudinal data systems (SLDSs) offer valuable information about teacher labor markets that can be used to analyze supply and demand, inform budget and staffing decisions, and…

This article provides teachers in rural settings with suggestions on how to engage classroom resource personnel (i.e., volunteers, instructional assistants) in monitoring students' achievement. The target, act, and graph (TAG) strategy offers rural special educators ways to empower classroom resource persons through training and use of the TAG…

This chapter describes the cocurricular activities offered through The Democracy Commitment at Allegany College of Maryland and the impact of these civic experiences on its students.

Transition education is a distinctive aspect of special education that extends well beyond the boundaries of the school building, engages partners from all corners of the local community, and addresses so many different life domains. In the midst of a pandemic, creative strategies are needed to equip students with the skills, knowledge,…

Career and Technical Education (CTE) centers offer an opportunity for students to engage in authentic reading and writing activities. In many states, "embedding" English and math credits (i.e., allowing students to earn traditional core subject credits in the context of their CTE programs) has become a popular trend. This article reports…

This article explains the process of identifying grant funding sources and writing a grant proposal and attempts to demystify the process as it relates to grant funding in special education and disability services. It offers a series of simple steps to help new or less experienced grant writers in locating funding agencies, reading and…