This booklet provides an overview of Oklahoma's educational policy, highlighting historical efforts, current initiatives, future plans, and existing challenges to educational reform. It begins with a brief description of the demographics, economic status, and educational system of the state. A narrative is then provided that is organized around…

Discusses J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College's (JSRCC) improvement of teacher education by developing courses that reflect national mathematics and science standards, providing "preteaching" experiences and in-service courses for current teachers, actively recruiting students for the teaching profession, forming preteaching student…

This paper, one in a series about the priorities of the professoriate, explores several alternatives to tenure for faculty and institutions. Data for the study was drawn from a series of site visits to seven institutions during winter/spring 1995-96. Seventy-one interviews were conducted with administrators, senior faculty, and full-time…

More than half of entering community college students lack the basic skills required to do college-level academic work. Blacks, Hispanics, and American Indians disproportionately rely on community colleges as their point of initial access to higher education, making the issue of preparation inherently tied to factors of race and ethnicity. In some…

This paper demonstrates how educators can improve student learning, increase resources available to schools, and make the teaching profession more attractive without spending additional tax funds. Section 1, "The School as Community Center," analyzes sharing school facilities with community organizations and easing fiscal constraints…

Trends in teacher competency testing, test bias against minority group teachers, and ways to encourage qualified personnel to join the teaching profession are discussed. Currently, 21 states require students to pass a test to enter a teacher education program, and 31 require teacher candidates to pass a certification test. Admission tests include…

Selected papers from the 1988 conference on foreign language issues for the future include: "Articulation for Elementary School Foreign Language Programs: Challenges and Opportunities" (Carol Ann Pesola); "Articulation: A Resolvable Problem?" (Dale L. Lange); "Profiles of Frustration: Second Language Learners with Specific Learning Disabilities"…

This report defines what is meant by quality basic education in Georgia and makes numerous recommendations for achieving it for all Georgians. The recommendations are that: (1) basic skills and general job skills be emphasized in vocational education; (2) the salary base for teachers be increased; (3) a five plateau teacher career ladder be…

This handbook is designed for educators, administrators, and others who are interested in developing Latin programs in elementary and secondary schools. It is divided into four parts. Part One, "How Beginning Latin Actually Works," discusses a typical beginning Latin class session, linguistic and humanistic program goals, the methodology…

These conference proceedings deal with the exploration of the problems faced in educating Puerto Ricans and in seeking solutions for these same problems with a focus on the programs for school age children. Major areas discussed in the conference proceedings are: the cultural background of the Puerto Rican child, testing and placement of Spanish…

The Precollege Summer Camp Opportunity for Potential Educators (SCOPE) project was a minority recruitment and retention program designed to attract academically challenged tenth and eleventh grade students into teaching careers in mathematics and science. This three-year project offered a six-week summer camp for 50 precollege minority students in…

This digest reviews educational policies and practices that have been proven effective in closing the achievement gap, offering a list of resources with detailed information about them. The digest focuses on state and district roles (e.g., developing and implementing educational goals, rigorous standards, and accountability standards and providing…

This volume provides a tool kit for principals and administrators seeking to improve the quality of classroom teaching in an era of increasing accountability, as well as an overview of the historical and cultural factors that shape teaching as a profession. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 mandates that all teachers be "highly…

Year after year, English-as-a-foreign-language (ESL) programs at Saudi universities are experiencing significant increases in student enrollment. The current staffing conditions do not accommodate the enrollment demands. ESL programs are having difficulties in retaining experienced native-speaking teachers and in hiring qualified substitute…

The College of Education at the University of Akron (Ohio) approaches program delivery, service, research, and student diversity through collaborative efforts, which are complementary to and facilitated by an urban education program. The Decker Family Development Center is a collaborative project involving the university, the school district, a…