This annotated bibliography is reformatted and customized by the Center for Positive Practices. Some of the authors featured on this page include L. Allen Phelps, William Phillip Gorth, Marcy R. Perkins, Stephen Shames, Jocelyn Foster, Richard P. Holland, Rose Mary Cordova, Everett M. Rogers, Joy Markowitz, and Lonnie Lynn Luna.
(1979). A Study of Minimum Competency Programs. Final Comprehensive Report. Vol. 1. Vol. 2. The status of minimum competency testing programs, as of June 30, 1979, is given through descriptions of 31 state programs and 20 local district programs. For each program, the following information is provided: legislative and policy history; implementation phase; goals; competencies to be tested; standards and standard setting; target groups and testing schedule; government agent responsible for test selection or development, administration, scoring and analysis; reporting audiences; implications for students and programs; provisions for special populations; staffing; funding; program evaluation; future directions; and contact person. The following state programs are described: Alabama, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, and Virginia. The following district programs are described: Santa Clara County, California; Denver, Colorado; Hillsborough County, Florida; Thomas County, Georgia; Gary, Indiana; Bettendorf, Iowa; Columbus, Kansas; Fitchburg, Massachusetts; Detroit, Michigan; Lawton, Michigan; Omaha (Westside Community Schools), Nebraska; Peterborough (Contoocook Valley–ConVal), New Hampshire; Charlotte-Mecklenburg, North Carolina; Rocky River, Ohio; Portland (Parkrose), Oregon; Salem, Oregon; Houston, Texas; South Burlington, Vermont; Orange County, Virginia; and Kanawha County, West Virginia. [More] Descriptors: Academic Standards, Court Litigation, Disadvantaged, Educational Objectives
(1978). A Comparison of Agricultural Extension in Five States. The nature of the Cooperative Extension Service in agriculture was examined to identify aspects that could be applied to the design of an educational extension service. To learn about the organization, programs, and priorities of Cooperative Extension, employees of the state extension services in California, Colorado, New Mexico, New York, and Wisconsin were interviewed. These states were selected on the basis of geographical distribution and variability on such criteria as population distribution (rural or urban), natural resources, and extension service organizational arrangement. In all but Wisconsin, 6 to 12 people were interviewed, including the state director, a state extension specialist, and county agent in both rural and urban counties. Also interviewed in some states were state-level staff development officials, regional specialists, faculty members at the state college, and paraprofessionals. In Wisconsin, the Chancellor/Vice Provost and the Assistant Chancellor/Director of Cooperative Extension were interviewed. Among the findings were that: in general, the extension service was decentralized and loosely coupled; there was a low degree of Federal control over state- and county-level units; production agriculture was still the central concern of Cooperative Extension; in most states, counties and groups of counties could initiate programs in any area which are especially responsive to local needs and provide an immediate, concrete service, i.e., Community Resource Development, Pesticide Certification, and Expanded Food and Nutrition Program. Descriptors: Agency Cooperation, Agricultural Personnel, Community Development, Comparative Analysis
(1994). Undocumented Students with Disabilities: A State Inquiry. Final Report. This study attempted to identify critical issues in the provision of special education services to children of undocumented immigrants in the context of the 1982 Supreme Court decision, Plyler versus Doe, which affirmed the state's obligation to educate these children. The study developed a questionnaire which was sent to eight states having large numbers of undocumented immigrants: Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, and Texas. Findings are reported in the following areas: (1) state policies, guidelines, or directives (six states indicated they have no written policies or directives regarding undocumented students with disabilities); (2) offices/departments in the state education agency that address needs (no states have offices specifically designated to address the needs of this population); (3) challenges and concerns (e.g., limited English proficiency and high mobility of this population); (4) interagency support (in some states such support disregards residency status but in Florida such students and their families may be ineligible for support from service agencies); (5) educational needs specific to this population (mostly secondary to parents' fear of being identified as undocumented); (6) service delivery strategies (generally those serving a culturally and linguistically diverse student population); and (7) costs (no data were available). The questionnaire is appended. (Contains 11 references.) [More] Descriptors: Agency Cooperation, Compliance (Legal), Costs, Court Litigation
(1995). Life Visions for the Future: Converging Ideas and Images from Sepulchral Visuals. Many historical and traditional symbols are recorded in cemeteries. The symbols and motifs on tombstones profile individual lives, but they also convey information regarding a society's order, values, religious practices, and realities at the time of the individual's death. The primary goals of this research effort were to identify a variety of visuals found on tombstones, to look for patterns and categories of use, and to attempt to ascertain societal meanings of the these icons. Data collection entailed visiting 26 cemeteries in England, Scotland, and within the United States: Colorado, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, and Wyoming. Symbols were grouped into several major classifications: (1) shapes and symbols, like various types of crosses; (2) fauna, such as doves; (3) humanoid forms, like representations of hands; (4) flora, like roses; (5) tools and implements, or anything that depicts life interests of the deceased, from golf clubs and automobiles to the cartoon dinosaur Barney; (6) scenes and landscapes; and (7) organizational insignias. Photographs of 24 headstones are included, with accompanying details about the location and date of the headstone, description of symbols and their history, and assessment of the symbols' cultural significance. (Contains 14 references.) [More] Descriptors: Cultural Background, Cultural Images, Cultural Relevance, Data Collection
(1984). User Studies in ARL Libraries. SPEC Kit 101. This collection of library documents, which illustrates current techniques for conducting user studies in order to facilitate specific public services planning and priority-setting efforts at the member libraries of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), contains excerpts from: (1) four general user studies conducted at the University of British Columbia, the University of New Mexico, New York University, and the University of California, Riverside; (2) three science user studies conducted at the University of Colorado, the University of Arizona, and the University of Texas, Austin; (3) four automated services studies conducted at the University of Cincinnati, the University of Illinois, Pennsylvania State University, and Texas A&M University; and (4) three studies of special classes of library users conducted at the University of Arizona, Michigan State University, and Cornell University. Excerpts presented include sample questionnaires and descriptions of survey results. At the beginning, a concise summary of issues and trends related to library user studies covers types of survey methodology, types of information collected, and types of user and non-user groups studied; a 12-item bibliography and an evaluation sheet for this ARL Systems and Procedures Exchange Center (SPEC) kit are also provided. Descriptors: Academic Libraries, Evaluation Methods, Higher Education, Library Automation
(1983). The Interactions of Federal and Related State Education Programs. Volume II: State Case Studies. This collection of case studies of eight states–California, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, Virginia, Wyoming–documents a 1981-82 investigation of federal and state administrative interactions across a select sample of federal education programs. To represent a wide spectrum of political, economic, and institutional environments relevant to educational policy administration, six criteria were used in picking the sample, including (1) state support for education, (2) state fiscal stress, (3) regional location, and (4) state political culture. A second set of factors included state efforts to coordinate federal and state special pupil programs and state policies of particular interest. Each case study relied on documentary material and personal interviews with an average of 40 individuals at the state and local levels. Topics studied included state management of federal and state programs, and state political environment. Results indicate that (1) both federal and state governments are shapers of state education policy decisions, (2) federal and state policy priorities for special students are frequently divergent, (3) state educational agencies are better organized than 15 years ago but dependent on federal dollars, and (4) intergovernmental conflicts between state and federal governments are relatively mild and uncommon. [More] Descriptors: Compliance (Legal), Conflict, Educational Administration, Educational Environment
(1997). Pursuing the Dream: What Helps Children and Their Families Succeed. This book makes extensive use of photographs to document successful community-based family support programs that enable families and their children to overcome cycles of poverty, drugs, and violence. The book begins with an essay by Roger Rosenblatt discussing the history of childhood in America and the growth of community-based programs; the essay also describes a model community-based program in a poor urban neighborhood. The second essay, by author and photographer Stephen Shames, discusses characteristics common to successful programs teaching living skills in a framework that emphasizes personal responsibility and values. The remaining chapters describe and document the following programs: (1) Avance Family Support and Education Program (Texas); (2) Casey County Family Resource and Youth Services Centers (Kentucky); (3) community development programs in New Mexico, New York, District of Columbia, and Michigan; (4) school-community partnerships in Kentucky, Colorado, Illinois, California, and Tennessee; (5) youth development programs in California and Maine; (6) Friends of the Children (Oregon); and (7) Parents and Children Together (Hawaii). Also included is a statement from the Chicago Bulls on their commitment to community centers for the whole family. The book concludes with a list of programs and acknowledgments. Descriptors: At Risk Persons, Children, Community Development, Community Programs
(1992). Law-Related Education Programs in Juvenile Justice Settings. This documents consists of a list by state of programs sponsored by the American Bar Association to teach law related education in correctional institutions and other juvenile justice settings. The directory lists 14 programs in institutional schools and diversion programs in 17 states. Under the diversion programs, first time or misdemeanor offenders participate in law related education programs on decision making skills, basic legal responsibilities, criminal and family law, early gang involvement, educational motivation, cultural pride, parenting skills, and substance abuse, among others. The directory lists coordinators, addresses, and phone numbers for teen courts in 16 states. In several of the states, more than one location is identified. Combination programs are identified and described in four states, California, Kentucky, Oregon, and Wisconsin. In addition, community based programs in Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, and Virginia are described. Other activities include a group in Pennsylvania that has developed a Pennsylvania-specific juvenile justice manual and teachers' guide that is used in juvenile justice facilities throughout the state. A Seattle, Washington group is listed that has developed a law related education curriculum and manual for juvenile justice facilities in that state. [More] Descriptors: Correctional Education, Correctional Institutions, Delinquent Rehabilitation, Juvenile Courts
(1989). Directory of Programs: High School Equivalency Program (HEP) and College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP). This directory lists currently funded High School Equivalency Programs (HEPs) and College Assistance Migrant Programs (CAMPs) in the United States. The HEP allows migrant workers or their dependents to prepare for the General Educational Development high school equivalency diploma in a residential college setting or as commuters to class. Career information, job placement, counseling, academic advising, tutoring, and transportation to and from the program are provided at the HEP sites. Some programs provide cultural activities, housing, and meals. Such programs are listed as available in California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. CAMP is a federal program that provides financial assistance, career advising, tutoring, counseling, career orientation activities, and cultural and social activities to eligible migrant workers, seasonal farmworkers, or their children during their first year of college. The program offers assistance with tuition and fees, room, board, and other living expenses. CAMP helps students locate additional financial aid to allow them to complete their undergraduate studies after their first year. CAMP programs are listed as available in California, Idaho, Oregon, Tennessee, and Texas. Each listing gives the address, phone number, contact person and a description of the project. [More] Descriptors: Career Guidance, College Attendance, Educational Counseling, High School Equivalency Programs
(1986). The Local Control Index: A Proposed Model for Classifying Types of Local Control As a Function of Statutory Provisions. The purpose of this study was to derive an operational definition of local control and to devise a model, the Local Control Index, for classifying degrees of local control by using the education codes of eight states–Arizona, California, Illinois, Mississippi, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, and Texas. The Local Control Index consists of four profiles–Professionalism, Finance, Control, and Curriculum–which represent those areas usually included or excluded in state education codes. Political culture, constitutional law, and history form the skeletal framework of the Local Control Index. After an introductory statement of the problem and procedure, a review of the literature covers historiography of local control and its treatment from the perspectives of political science, educational politics, and the courts. Local control is defined, accordingly, as the power of the electorate or community to influence the legislation or policy-making process of the state and local boards within the value base of a given political culture. A conceptual framework is thus developed for the Local Control Index, along with instrumentation and a computational model. The study concludes that local control of education is a function of political culture, based on the authoritatively allocated values of professionalism, finance, control, and curriculum. Descriptors: Constitutional Law, Educational History, Educational Policy, Elementary Secondary Education
(1976). It's Monday Morning: A History of Twenty-Seven Handicapped Children's Early Education Projects. Described are 27 projects originally funded by the Bureau of Education for the Handicapped as part of the Handicapped Children's Early Education Program. An introductory section gives background information on the principles, beginnings, and activities of the projects. Provided for each of the project descriptions are the following: project title, project location, number and type of children served, a description of the educational program, report of the project's evidence of effectiveness, and materials available. Projects in the following states are described: Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington. A graph gives information on all the projects in terms of number of children served in 1973-74, age ranges of those served, handicaps served, staff members, and test instruments used. A final section on project impact focuses on the relationships between the projects and the organizations with whom they work, spinoffs of the project to the communities and states, and sources of continued funding. [More] Descriptors: Community Programs, Demonstration Programs, Exceptional Child Education, Federal Programs
(1981). Identification, Assessment, and Placement of Limited English Proficiency Students in Vocational Education. A Study of Current Practices in Illinois. A study examined the varied procedures and approaches utilized in identifying, assessing, and placing limited English proficiency (LEP) students in vocational education programs in Illinois high schools, area vocational centers, and community colleges. Utilized in the study were data from the following survey instruments: (1) a mail questionnaire that obtained detailed information regarding identification, assessment, and placement procedures from 212 Illinois local education agency (LEA) program directors; (2) a document analysis of 59 local one- and five-year plans for such programs to serve LEP students; (3) three one-day on-site visitations to three LEAs; and (4) a telephone questionnaire that obtained information on local programs for LEP vocational education students from state directors of vocational education in seven states (Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, and Texas). Analysis of data from these sources resulted in 19 recommendations concerning further research and development in the area of programs to identify, assess, and place LEP students in vocational education. (A related project evaluation report and an executive summary of the project report on the Illinois three-phase system for serving LEP vocational students are available separately through ERIC–see note.) [More] Descriptors: Ability Identification, Administrator Attitudes, Communication Skills, Community Colleges
(1980). National Survey of Funding and Accountability of Public Community, Junior, and Technical Colleges, 1976-1979. Final Report. In September 1977, a questionnaire was distributed to the members of the National Council of State Directors of Community and Junior Colleges to determine how and to what extent the various states fund their two-year colleges and how the colleges must account for fund utilization to their funding source. Reponses were received from 29 states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The study addressed questions related to: (1) levels of appropriations and student receipts; (2) methods of establishing state funding levels, such as formula budgeting; (3) methods of allocating state funds to public two-year colleges; (4) methods and timing of counting students; (5) number of students; (6) proportional full-time equivalent enrollment in transfer, vocational, and other programs; (7) types and frequency of audits; (8) timing of adjustments in state legislative appropriations; (9) submission of budget requests by individual colleges; and (10) approval of new programs; presidential, faculty, and staff hiring, salary, and dismissal; and new facilities. The report includes tables summarizing levels of appropriations and tuition receipts and numbers of students. [More] Descriptors: Accountability, Budgeting, Community Colleges, Educational Finance
(1997). Weaving the Web of MSE Success for Minorities: Top Ten Colleges and Universities Report. This study identifies the institutions of higher education which are the most productive in the number of degrees in mathematics, engineering, and science (MSE) awarded to minority students (African Americans, American Indians, and Hispanics). Using 1992-93 data, the study focused on the 17 states (and Puerto Rico) in which minority students represent at least 25 percent of high school graduates. These were: Alabama, Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia. An introduction lists the leading university producers of minority MSE baccalaureate degree recipients for each state and summarizes responses to a questionnaire which surveyed institutions concerning minority student recruitment, retention strategies, financial support, faculty role, and outreach activities. A chart rates states according to whether they achieve their "fair share" of minority MSE degree recipients. The main body of the report presents data on the top 10 institutions in each of the 17 states, including general data for the state as a whole as well as specific information on MSE minority-focused activities for each institution. A summary chapter notes types of programs and services frequently offered by these institutions and offers recommendations. The questionnaire is appended. [More] Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Academic Persistence, American Indians, Bachelors Degrees
(1968). Curricular Relevance in Teacher Education. Major trends toward increasing curricular relevance in teacher education are discussed. These include concern for the education of teachers of disadvantaged youth and a return to the concept of early direct and laboratory experience programs exemplified in the San Francisco State College-Sausalito Teacher Education Project, STEP (see ED 023 633), Western Michigan University's Masters Degree Program for the Teaching of Culturally and Educationally Deprived Youth, Hunter College's Project 120, and the Kansas City-Regional Educational Research Laboratory-Liberal Arts Colleges' Program (see SP 002 249). A corollary trend toward broadening social understanding is seen in the University of New Mexico's New Elementary Teacher Education Program, the University of Georgia-State Department-Public Schools' Elementary Inservice Mathematics Program, and the University of Maryland's Teacher Education Center (see SP 002 467). Significant trends toward relevance in inservice teacher education include college-school cooperation in followup programs for beginning teachers, the reinvolvement of professors in the classroom, and programs such as the Office of Education's Triple-T project. Increasing utilization of an interdisciplinary approach in teacher education and research and emphasis on the teaching staff (including staff differentiation and the study of teacher behavior) compose additional major trends in increasing relevancy in teacher education. Descriptors: College School Cooperation, Disadvantaged Youth, Educational Change, Interdisciplinary Approach