The Counselor to the U.S. Secretary of Education outlines eight education challenges: (1) safe and disciplined schools; (2) parent and family involvement; (3) a reading, literate society; (4) high standards and real accountability; (5) computers available to all children; (6) strong transition from school to work; (7) college accessibility; and…

This study examined the effects of personal accountability and personal responsibility instructional treatments on elementary-age, urban, at-risk physical education students. A multiple treatment (ABAD, ACAD, ADA, control) behavior-analysis design was implemented across four distinct matched class settings to determine the separate and combined…

The Secretary issues final regulations governing the Assistance to States for Education of Children with Disabilities Program and the Preschool Grants for Children with Disabilities Program. These regulations are needed to implement changes made to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, as amended by the Individuals with Disabilities…

The federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 ("NCLB" or "the Act") defines an aggressive, ambitious and multi-faceted approach for increasing student achievement and closing the achievement gap. Premised on the correlation between student academic achievement and teacher quality, NCLB demands that all students, regardless of…

This short paper discusses the advantages of and outlines key design issues for creating charter districts. The design issues are divided into three categories representing the three central elements of the environment the districts are trying to create for their schools: the opportunity to perform, incentives to perform, and capacity to perform.…

More and more, private for-profit and non-profit organizations are involved in schools. No longer limited to support services like transportation and food services, companies are providing tutoring, directing classroom instruction and managing public and charter schools. School reform has raised the stakes for schools and students, asking for…

This periodical provides accessible, in-depth profiles of programs and policies that have made measurable differences in the lives of children and families. A particular focus is on initiatives that have helped reform child-serving institutions and systems and that have strengthened the physical infrastructure, economic vitality, and social fabric…

This report describes and evaluates the Raven School, a charter school established in 1998 to serve adjudicated youths ages 16 to 18. The school is administered by the Gulf Coast Trades Center, a private nonprofit organization located in the Sam Houston National Forest in rural Texas. In addition to academics and GED preparation, other program…

This handbook provides guidelines for the operation of local special education programs for Alaskan children with disabilities. It addresses: (1) the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments of 1997 and basic concepts of special education; (2) identification of students with disabilities, referral, screening programs, and…

This document profiles learning environments, educational strategies, and learning activities taking place across Arizona within the scope of school-to-work and vocational-technical education. The 33 institutions profiled include public, charter, and private elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as a vocational-technical center. Funding…

The school legislation of the two-year period here under review comprises the most recent enactments of all the States, since all legislatures met within the period, and six States--Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, South Carolina, and Georgia--whose lawmakers meet annually, held two meetings of their respective legislative…

Discusses the use of a universal choice plan as leverage for a wide range of school improvements in the Springfield Public School System (Massachusetts). The author examines the educational reform movement in terms of change coupled with concurrent development of four transformations: organizational, pedagogical, social/attitudinal, and political.…

This report presents and analyzes data from the 2004-05 school year related to the characteristics of charter schools in Colorado, including student achievement and school performance. The purpose, methodology and growth of charter schools in the state is discussed, followed by an overview of the background and mandates of the Colorado Charter…

This study supports efforts by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) to foster greater state accountability and establish data-driven planning and self-assessment processes that help states and schools to address provisions of the recently enacted Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act…

"Snapshot '97," the 10th edition of this publication, provides information about students, student performance, staffing, and the financing of Texas public school districts. This annual summary is a useful source of information for anyone interested in the demographics of Texas schools, the resources available, and the improvements that…