The Region 5 Comprehensive Center worked in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Education to develop a professional learning framework and toolkit. Although they were developed to meet the needs of education staff in Tennessee, the guidance can benefit other state education stakeholders in their efforts to ensure all professional learning…

Due to systemic barriers, Spanish-speaking (versus English-speaking) parents of children with disabilities are less likely to participate in educational decision-making. However, little research has directly compared special education experiences between both populations. The purpose of this study was to explore the differences and similarities…

In partnership with the National Charter School Resource Center (NCSRC), the National Association for Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) has been conducting authorizer assessments over the past six years. However, the correlation between high-quality authorization practices and charter school impact has largely been unexplored. This report uses a…

Almost half of Tennessee's students are not on grade level in reading and math by the time they complete third grade, and very few of those students achieve proficiency in later grades. To combat this trend and support the skill development and academic achievement of all students, Tennessee has adopted a framework for addressing individual…

This article is an account of how one small liberal arts university undertook a large scale curriculum integration and assessment project under the auspices of a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP). After a review of relevant literature, the integration and assessment process is outlined, and the assessment data is analyzed and discussed. The…

The "Personnel Development Program to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities" is authorized under Section 662 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and is known as the Personnel Development Program (PDP). The PDP is administered by the U.S. Department of Education's (ED's) Office of Special…

The report presents six papers describing a Tennessee study to assess the status of the supported employment initiative, determine the importance and implementation of best practice elements, and ascertain perceptions of supported employment customers toward implementation. Major findings include the following: at the time of the study supported…

Baseline data were obtained pertaining to needs assessment criteria and standards of performance as perceived by local secondary vocational administrators in Tennessee. All local secondary vocational administrators listed in the 1990-91 state directory were the eligible population. The survey consisted of 32 items with a Likert response scale.…

Tennessee employers were surveyed regarding secondary vocational education as a source of entry-level employees and on their perceptions of issues in the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Act of 1990. A survey instrument secured ratings for various types and levels of educational and governmental agencies. The population consisted…