The need for a larger labor force in Southwest Minnesota is at peak heights and employers are looking for strategies that keep local high school and college graduates in the region. The analysis of 38,154 southwest high school graduates shows that their post-high school paths and plans are related to whether an individual has meaningful workforce…

This article explores the efforts of tribal communities building more coordinated and effective early childhood systems by taking advantage of federal funding opportunities and partnerships. Given a new level of understanding and response from federal agencies regarding the unique nature of tribal communities, efforts are being made to acknowledge…

Advanced information, communication, computation and collaboration technologies, known as "cyberinfrastructure," have become essential elements for research, education, and innovation in the 21st century. A major challenge confronting the United States today is how to ensure that all colleges and universities, including those that have…

The purpose of this study was to determine the characteristics and perceived effectiveness of staff development practices in selected high schools in South Dakota. The review of literature and research related to staff development examined the following questions: What types of staff development practices are being employed to encourage and…

This South Dakota project assisted the Governor's Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities in setting long range preservice and inservice professional development priorities and identifying future planning needs of the Council. The project provided a prioritization of training needs in the area of developmental disabilities as perceived by…

Results of an evaluation of the South Dakota Project to Articulate Continuing Education in Nursing (Project SPACE), which was the extent to which the three-year project had been a value to South Dakota nurses, were presented. According to the Executive Committee's assessment, the project increased quantity and quality of continuing education…

The Career Competency Program was funded to design and implement a total career education model, both educationally and financially practical for implementation by South Dakota communities. The program's underlying goals included mastery of skills at a level commensurate with each student's ability, interests, and career goals. Activities carried…

One major component of the efforts to promote the use of technology and distance education in South Dakota and specifically of Phase III of the Connecting the Schools Project-an initiative announced in the spring of 1999 by Governor Janklow that built a statewide intranet among all 176 school districts--was a comprehensive evaluation activity. The…

This publication assesses the status of public elementary-secondary education in South Dakota and describes the state's progress toward meeting the six National Education Goals. A notable achievement is the Families First program, which is a broad-based initiative that empowers communities to identify and meet local human service needs and to…