In this speech, the Secretary of Education identifies characteristics and principles common to all good schools including strong institutional and instructional leadership, a safe and orderly learning environment, teaching of the basics, high expectations, assessment of student progress, and accountability. Such principles are seen to apply…

Presented are case histories of two Down's Syndrome (Mosaic form) 6- and 10-year-old girls who attended regular Montessori classes. General characteristics of Down's Syndrome and other retarded children are reviewed and compared with the two girls' growth and development (according to Piaget's proposed stages). The Montessori emphasis on sensorial…

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…

It is estimated that 22 percent, of adults in the Piedmont Triad of North Carolina have poor literacy skills, meaning that they have difficulty with tasks involving simple texts and documents. Purpose: Given this low level of adult literacy, the purpose of this exploratory research study was to analyze the perceptions of North Carolina's adult…

Written primarily for educators and parents interested in the education of young handicapped children, the document contains a review and analysis of the research literature concerned with preschool mainstreaming in the context of the present range of preschool programs. In the introduction, it is reported that information comes from interviews…

Review of claims for the effectiveness of the gentle teaching philosophy with people having severe problem behaviors and mental retardation finds that the methods were unsuccessful with seven of nine individuals. Although more research is needed, the review suggests that gentle teaching cannot be considered an ethically defensible treatment…

Arguments in favor of and against the Regular Education Initiative (REI) are presented. Lack of appropriate qualifications of regular classroom teachers and a lack of empirical evidence on REI effectiveness are cited as some of the problems with the approach. (JDD)

This study's purpose was to survey the literature on European Union (EU) e-learning strategies specifically related to two mainline e-learning projects: the learning Action Plan and the E-Learning Program. Results of the evaluation and interpretation of the literature show that the European Commission has positively impacted European Union…

This is a progress report for a project attempting to gather and share information about effective dropout prevention strategies in action at the middle school and high school levels around the Northwest region of the United States. Introductory material reviews current views of the dropout problem, recent reports which address the issue of…

The study compared two special education models, resource and self-contained, to investigate the effects of delivery systems on academic achievement of 170 educable mentally handicapped (EMH) students (8 to 12 years old) and to determine which of the two models is more cost effective. There was a significant effect of educational setting on the…

Outlines a study determining which of two career guidance methods was most effective. A didactic and structured guidance approach proved more effective in promoting career maturity than the more flexible method. Results reveal students' need for structure and suggest beneficial effects of using career guidance in the academic curriculum. (JAC)

The Citizenship Education Longitudinal Study, conducted by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) on behalf of the Department for Education and Skills (DfES), aims to identify, measure and evaluate the extent to which effective practice in citizenship education develops in schools. The study began in 2001 and will conclude in…

A survey of a number of small elementary schools in the Nevada Western States Small Schools Project (WSSSP) provides a descriptive review of promising teaching practices and an assessment of additional needs. Promising practices observed include high teacher interest and pupil involvement; creativity; individualized instruction; and use of…

Two studies were conducted to determine the usefulness of the Sampling Organization and Recall through Strategies (SORTS) test and the effectiveness of teaching grouping strategies to young handicapped children (mean ages 9 and 6 years). In both studies, SORTS was used to develop and implement instruction in organizational strategy. In the first…

Describes one elementary school's experience utilizing undergraduate nursing students as an alternative resource for providing health education. Nursing students observed in the classroom, prepared teaching plans, and presented topics. Participants reported that the experience was effective in relation to the levels of achievement attained by…