This annotated bibliography is reformatted and customized by the Center for Positive Practices. Some of the authors featured on this page include Hartford. Connecticut State Dept. of Education, Denver Education Commission of the States, Brooklyn New York City Board of Education, MI. Dept. of Evaluation Services. Saginaw Public Schools, Inc. Sopris West, MI. Detroit Public Schools, Richard N. Claus, Barry E. Quimper, Tallahassee. Florida State Postsecondary Education Commission, and Alasdair Roberts.
(1980). New England Dissemination Network of State Validated Practices. This catalog presents a resources guide to 52 currently operating education programs of high quality validated by state departments of education. It is structured by major categories and accessed by RECON (Regional Communication Outreach Network) catalog numbers. Validated programs and services are offered in the categories of adult education; alternative schools/programs; bilingual/migrant education; career/vocational education; early childhood/parent readiness/parent involvement; environmental education/science/social science; organizational arrangements/administration; preservice/inservice training; reading/language arts/mathematics; special education/learning disabilities; special interests–arts/communication/technology; and special interests–gifted and talented/health/human behavior/physical education. The description of each project includes its adoption site, descriptors, target audience, project description, evidence of effectiveness, implementation requirements, financial requirements, services available, and a point of contact. Title and state indexes are provided. [More] Descriptors: Educational Resources, Information Dissemination, Information Networks, Resource Materials
(1979). Management Accountability System for Desegregation Educational Components. The accountability system developed by the Detroit Public Schools is designed to ensure that the letter and the spirit of the educational components of the system's desegregation plan are fully instituted in every school. For each component (bilingual/bicultural education, elementary and middle school reading, career and counseling guidance, vocational education, teacher inservice, community relations, senior high school reading, testing, and the uniform code of student conduct)the responsibilities of each key position are delineated. Acceptable evidence of compliance with court orders is described. The positions responsible for monitoring, correcting, and reporting the level of implementation are designated. Two reporting systems, one guaranteeing accountability by principals and superintendents and one to provide analyses of implementation and impact by component, are described. Descriptors: Accountability, Administrative Policy, Administrator Responsibility, Compliance (Legal)
(1974). Special Education in the States: Legislative Progress Report. 1974 Final Report. Presented is a summary of major bills relating to the education of exceptional children that passed, failed, or were still in progress in state legislatures during 1974. It is noted that the report is intended to represent an overview of major state legislation rather than to include all bills that have been introduced. Bills are organized into the following categories: architectural barriers, bilingual/bicultural education, central registry/census, child advocacy, comprehensive educational services, compulsory school attendance, corporal punishment, definitions, evaluation/testing, expanded educational services, experimental/pilot programs, finance, legal age of eligibility for services, study councils and committees, teacher certification/inservice training, and transportation. Provided for each bill in a given category are state, bill number and sponsor, basic provisions of the bill, and status. [More] Descriptors: Architectural Barriers, Bilingual Students, Child Advocacy, Definitions
(1990). State Bilingual and ECIA Chapter 1 Migrant Product Evaluation Report, 1989-90. This report describes two programs in Saginaw, Michigan, that are designed to meet the special education needs of bilingual and migrant students. The focus of the report is a product evaluation using the results of students' test performance. The Section 41 State Bilingual Education Program and the Chapter 1 Migrant Education Program operated at 21 elementary schools, 4 junior high schools, and 2 high schools. The state bilingual program served approximately 709 students during the 1989-90 school year with reading instruction, instruction in other basic skills, and counseling services. The migrant program, largely in cooperation with the bilingual program, served 775 K-12 students. The California Achievement Tests (CAT) served as evaluation instruments for these students. The attainment of the performance standard by program, subject, and grade is presented. Mean posttest Normal Curve Equivalent (NCE) scores showed improvement over pretest NCE scores. K-12 students were pre- and post-tested to determine their achievement in reading and mathematics, as required by the funding sources. The CAT evaluation also looked specifically at fulfillment of the elementary-level reading comprehension objectives. Test results indicate a bilingual-program increase in the percentage of grade levels meeting reading and mathematics performance standards over the previous year. The migrant results show a decrease from the previous year in reading and an increase in math. The following program improvements are recommended: (1) reduced variations among building sites; (2) better program monitoring; (3) lower student-to-staff ratios; (4) improved consistency in the secondary-level advisor program; and (5) more parent-related activities. The document includes 5 appendices and 17 tables, most of which are found in the appendixes. [More] Descriptors: Bilingual Education, Elementary Secondary Education, Instructional Effectiveness, Instructional Improvement
(1987). Is the Teacher Up to the Task?. A brief overview is provided of the levels of training and areas of concentration that are available through the 29 institutions of higher education in the State of Pennsylvania offering preparation for the kindergarten through high school special education certification program. Consideration is then given to whether the teacher training is adequate. Concern is focused on: (1) the legislative policies regarding funding, state mandates, and certification guidelines; and (2) the content provided the preservice and inservice teachers during their educational training. A number of shortcomings in teacher education are identified, including reliance on noncategorical certification, insufficient training of mainstream teachers and school psychologists, lack of bilingual special education teachers, inadequate secondary education course content for dealing with the particular problems of adolescents, development of personal communication skills in teachers, and the need to identify competencies that promote student learning. Recommendations for changing existing teacher certification standards are given. Twenty references are listed. Descriptors: Adolescent Development, Behavior Problems, Bilingual Teachers, Communication Skills
(1997). Bilingual ESL Programs, 1996-97. Final Report. In compliance with Texas state law, the Austin Independent School District (AISD) provides two programs to serve students identified as limited English proficient (LEP): Bilingual Education (BE) with dual language instruction and English as Second Language (ESL) intensive English instruction. ESL is both a component of BE and a stand-alone program. The program in which a student participates depends on a number of student characteristics. In 1996-97, the AISD enrolled 11,500 LEP students, 92% of whom were Spanish speakers, and 3% of whom spoke Vietnamese. In 1992-93, LEP students were 10% of the district's enrollment; in 1996-97, they represented 15.2%. Compared to students district-wide, exited LEP students were retained less often, earned higher grade point averages, and had higher school leaver rates. The achievement of former LEP students generally surpasses AISD averages on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills. However, the achievement of LEP students in the programs is generally below that of state and national comparisons, and the achievement of AISD LEP students is generally lower than that of LEP students statewide. These facts reinforce evaluation recommendations for additional support for BE and ESL programs and continued staff development. Because students who complete BE and ESL programs are usually more successful in school than LEP students who do not participate, efforts should be made to serve the 14% of LEP students whose parents refuse program services. Appendixes give the text of the pertinent state law, a list of program staff development efforts, and evaluation reports for the individual schools involved. (Contains 38 tables, 3 figures, and 3 references.) [More] Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Achievement Gains, Bilingual Education, Educational Attainment
(1974). Special Education in the States: Legislative Progress Report. Report 2. Reported in the second of a series are summarized versions of approximately 80 bills relating to the education of exceptional children that have been introduced in State legislatures in 1974. The report, produced by the Handicapped Children's Education Project of the Education Commission of the States, is said to make no attempt to present all bills introduced, but rather to provide continuing information. Given for each bill is information regarding bill number and sponsor, basic provisions, and status as of May 10, 1974. Bills are listed alphabetically by State under the following alphabetically listed subjects: architectual barriers, appropriations/education foundation program, bilingual/bicultural education, child advocacy, compulsory school attendance, corporal punishment, expanded educational services, comprehensive educational services, experimental pilot programs, program accountability, evaluation/testing, study councils and committees, teacher certification/personnel, and transportation. [More] Descriptors: Architectural Barriers, Bilingual Students, Child Advocacy, Educational Programs
(1986). Educational Programs That Work. A Collection of Proven Exemplary Educational Programs and Practices. Twelfth Edition. This monograph presents an overview of all educational programs approved for national dissemination by the federal Joint Dissemination Review Panel since l974. It provides basic information on exemplary products and practices in the described projects. The projects are divided into 16 sections: (1) adult education; (2) administration/organizational arrangements; (3) alternative schools/programs; (4) basic skills–language arts/writing; (5) basic skills–mathematics; (6) basic skills–multidisciplinary; (7) basic skills–reading; (8) bilingual/migrant education; (9) career/vocational education; (10) early childhood/parent involvement; (11) gifted and talented/technology/special interests; (12) health/physical education; (13) preservice/inservice training; (14) science/social science; (15) special education/learning disabilities; and (16) projects whose services are no longer available. The last section offers the following indices: sectional cross reference, projects by state, ERIC descriptors, and alphebetical listings. [More] Descriptors: Demonstration Programs, Elementary Secondary Education, Program Costs, Program Descriptions
(1986). Project COPE, 1985-1986. OEA Evaluation Report. In its final year of funding, Project COPE provided instruction in basic skills and career development to 388 students of limited English proficiency (LEP) in grades 9 through 12 at three sites in Brooklyn and the Bronx: 150 Hispanics at John F. Kennedy High School, 150 Haitians at Prospect Heights High School, and 88 Italians at Christopher Columbus High School. The project was centrally administered, but the project's style of functioning at each site was influenced by the attitudes of the staff, the characteristics and needs of students, and other factors. This year's major change occurred at Prospect Heights, where a new assistant principal for foreign languages was given responsibility for administering the project. Prospect Heights was adversely affected by the shortage of both Haitian Creole-speaking teachers and texts, but nonetheless the program there has undergone promising improvements. At Kennedy, the project was integral to the bilingual education department, but at Christopher Columbus non-project-related staff voiced skepticism about the project, and it was the only school which did not offer native language instruction. The different sites varied in meeting program student achievement goals, and the dropout rate of program students was virtually zero. The following recommendations might improve future multi-site programs: (1) selected schools might be closer to one another and/or might serve students from the same language group; and (2) funds for continuing COPE-like services should be raised to meet the needs of the continuing influx of Spanish-speaking students at Kennedy and Prospect Heights. [More] Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Bilingual Education Programs, Career Education, English (Second Language)
(1975). A Process Evaluation of Project Developmental Continuity. Interim Report II, Part B: Recommendations for Measuring Program Impact. This report presents recommendations for measures to be used in assessing the impact of Project Developmental Continuity (PDC). Chapter I reviews the purpose of the impact study and presents the basic considerations guiding the selection of measures. Chapter II describes the review process that led to the final recommendations. Chapter III presents the final recommendations, along with supporting rationale, for measures to be used in the areas of: (1) social-emotional development; (2) psychomotor development, health, and nutrition; (3) cognitive and language development; (4) impact on parents and teachers; (5) bilingual/bicultural education; and (6) site-specific goals. The appendix contains one-page descriptions of the recommended measures, including information about items, administration procedures, scoring criteria, validity and reliability. [More] Descriptors: Biculturalism, Bilingualism, Cognitive Development, Early Childhood Education
(1990). Gaelic across the Curriculum? Parental Attitudes to Gaelic-Medium Education in the Western Isles. SCRE Spotlights 24. A study surveyed parents (n=329) of 1989 and prospective 1990 first-year primary school entrants in Scotland's Western Isles concerning Gaelic-English bilingual education policy. Results indicate only 39% of 4- and 5-year-olds had two native Gaelic-speaking parents, although attitudes toward the language were very positive. Half the parents read Gaelic-language books to their children, although availability of such materials was an issue. It appeared most parents were moderately well-informed about school language policy, while some uncertainty about the distinction between Gaelic-medium and bilingual instruction was found. About 86% of parents would like their children to be bilingual even when they themselves are not. However, it emerged from interviews that parents understood bilingualism as the ability to speak Gaelic and English, not necessarily write and read them at the same level. About 71% supported the idea of Gaelic-medium education, but it was not clear whether these supported teaching of all subjects in Gaelic. Approximately half the parents surveyed said they would take advantage of Gaelic-medium instruction if offered. Fewer than one-quarter favored education entirely in Gaelic ending by the fourth year of elementary school, while 41% wanted Gaelic emphasized throughout elementary school. Recommendations are made tentatively in view of the study's limitations; however, it is proposed that Gaelic-medium education should continue, that its availability should be made clear to parents, that schools as an important source of Gaelic books should be stressed, and that research on various aspects of this curriculum should be conducted. [More] Descriptors: Bilingual Education, Educational Policy, Elementary Education, Foreign Countries
(1991). State Bilingual and ECIA Chapter 1 Migrant Product Evaluation Report, 1990-91. Through the Section 41, State Bilingual Education program and the E.C.I.A. Chapter 1, Migrant Education program, Saginaw public schools provide supplemental instruction and specialized services in 24 elementary and 6 secondary schools. In 1990-91, the bilingual program served 773 students, mostly Hispanic and some Laotian, while the migrant program served 749 children of migrant workers. Because these student populations overlap, the two programs operate as one. Product evaluation of the programs focused on student test performance. Students in grades 1-12 were pre- and post-test with the California Achievement Tests on a spring to spring basis. The local performance standard for the program was that post-test mean normal-curve-equivalent scores for each grade would improve over pre-test scores. For the bilingual program, the performance standard was attained by 58-75% of grade levels in basic and advanced reading and mathematics skills. For the migrant program, the performance standard was attained by 50% of grade levels in basic and advanced reading skills, 33% in basic mathematics skills, and 58% in advanced mathematics skills. The performance standard was attained in all areas by grades 3, 5, 8, and 12 in the bilingual program, and by grade 3 in the migrant program. Recommendations are made for improving the programs. Appendices contain identification and eligibility procedures for program participants, enrollment and test scores by grade and school, and a paper by H. M. Levin on accelerated schools as a strategy for at-risk students. [More] Descriptors: Bilingual Education, Elementary Secondary Education, Mathematics Achievement, Migrant Education
(1984). The Master Plan for Florida Postsecondary Education. Supplement Number 2: Enhancing the Participation of Minority and Disadvantaged Students in Postsecondary Education. Report and Recommendations of the Postsecondary Education Planning Commission. This second supplement to the Florida master plan for postsecondary education covers college attendance issues for minority and disadvantaged students. Attention is directed to: effective participation of students in kindergarten through twelfth grade (K-12) education, counseling, linkages and cooperation between K-12 and postsecondary education, adult basic and adult high school education, college preparatory education, standardized testing in postsecondary education using the College-Level Academic Skills Test, improving the performance and retention of minority and disadvantaged students in postsecondary education, representation of minorities as faculty, financial aid issues affecting minority college attendance, postsecondary education needs of students with limited knowledge of English, graduate and professional education, and system accountability. Specific concerns include: the dropout problem, minimum academic standards and statewide assessment, a state compensatory education program, better utilization of counselors' skills and time, improving test-taking skills, the College Reach Out Program, postsecondary English-language instruction, and bilingual vocational education. Descriptors: Academic Advising, Access to Education, Adult Education, Articulation (Education)
(1991). Flyer File on Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Exceptional Learners. This "ERIC Flyer File" presents a collection of digests, minibibliographies, excerpts, and reprints on culturally and linguistically diverse exceptional learners. The collection of 18 items addresses 3 areas: assessment, curriculum and instruction, and parent involvement. The six resources on assessment focus on young Hispanic children with deafness, language disorders in bilingual students, dialect differences, use of interpreters and translators, and preventing inappropriate referrals to special education. The nine resources on curriculum and instruction address bilingual special education, effective instruction for children with mild disabilities, functional language instruction for students with moderate to severe disabilities, empowering students with learning problems, English as a Second Language in special education, impact of disability on language acquisition, learning styles strategies, and multicultural education. A bibliography on instruction and program development is also provided. Three resources discuss parent involvement, specifically communicating with culturally diverse parents, use of ecocultural theory as a context for the Individual Family Service Plan, and a bibliography. [More] Descriptors: Bilingual Students, Cultural Differences, Curriculum Development, Deafness
(1982). Handbook for Special Education Teachers. Intended for New York City special education teachers, the handbook presents information on classroom strategies as well as administrative matters. The initial chapter introduces quality instruction and examines aspects of the environment conducive to it. Also considered are the roles of support personnel and parents. Preparation for instruction, the subject of chapter 2, focuses on assessment, standardized testing, the individualized education program, task analysis, mainstreaming, and multicultural/multiethnic concerns. Chapter 3 addresses teaching and learning strategies, with special emphasis on developing critical thinking and problem solving skills through questioning, selecting and adapting materials, and study skills. Curriculum aspects addressed in chapter 4 include the following: New York City's Minimum Teaching Essentials (an outline of curriculum content), communication arts, reading, mathematics, bilingual special education, and career education and life skills. The final chapter explores administrative topics such as promotional policies, suspension procedures, and transportation regulations. Descriptors: Adapted Physical Education, Career Education, Classroom Techniques, Communication Skills