This annotated bibliography is reformatted and customized by the Center for Positive Practices. Some of the authors featured on this page include Glenn DuBois, Steven J. Hite, Suzanne Raber, Thomas R. Wermuth, Victoria Boyd, Thomas E. Grayson, Bernita L. Krumm, Virginia Roach, Carolyn Maddy-Bernstein, and Ann Bachelder.
(1997). Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the National Council of State Directors of Community Colleges (Anaheim, CA, April 12, 1997). This proceedings contains reports from nine states on welfare reform efforts and their effects on community colleges. Reports are presented from the following states: (1) South Carolina, reviewing the state's efforts to create an alliance with local businesses to train a self-sufficient work force; (2) Wyoming, revealing that a skills training program has been developed to teach both life and basic skills at selected community colleges; (3) Utah, indicating that several state services have been consolidated into career centers on community college campuses; (4) New Mexico, highlighting the goals, characteristics, and major concerns related to the state's reform efforts; (5) Iowa, describing the current status of the state's community colleges with respect to funding, accreditation, and enrollment in vocational education programs; (6) Florida, including a table comparing work requirements in federal and Florida law and a discussion of the potential negative effects of welfare reform on community colleges; (7) Colorado, indicating that the state has not yet resolved key legislative issues related to welfare reform; (8) California, reviewing program enrollments and student characteristics at the state's community colleges, as well as the colleges' role in welfare reform; and (9) New York, reviewing six key issues related to welfare reform that will affect higher education in the state. [More] Descriptors: Career Counseling, Change Strategies, College Role, Community Colleges
(1996). Independent Living Outcomes for American Indians with Disabilities: A Summary of American Indian Independent Living Consumer Data. Eleven rehabilitation/independent living counselors in 5 states and the Navajo Nation completed consumer data summary questionnaires on 121 American Indian clients receiving independent living services. The clients lived in Arizona, California, New Mexico, South Dakota, Texas, Colorado, and Utah; 48 were served by the Navajo Nation vocational rehabilitation (VR) project, the only tribal VR project at the time. Counselors supplied demographic information about each consumer, as well as information on referral, disabilities, functional limitations, services provided, outcomes, and closure. Data analysis consisted primarily of a descriptive summary, subdivided by state. Differences in implementation of state plans for independent living created difficulties in data collection. Educational information revealed that 16 percent of clients had 6 years or less of formal education, and half of these had no education at all. The most common goals requested by clients at referral were self-care and mobility. Multiple goals were common. A majority of consumers were not working. The top four independent living services provided to consumers were the four core services required by Title VII of the Rehabilitation Act: information and referral, peer counseling, individual and systems advocacy, and independent living skills training. Service providers rarely had a person specifically assigned to provide outreach services to American Indians. Services were initiated for 66 cases, and closure information was available for 49 cases, of which 77 percent achieved client goals. Includes 28 data tables and the survey questionnaire. [More] Descriptors: American Indians, Client Characteristics (Human Services), Disabilities, Human Services
(1997). Profiles of Schools in Change: Four Urban High Schools, Office of Student Services' Brief. This report highlights four urban comprehensive secondary schools that are developing, implementing, and evaluating reform initiatives that include vocational and technical education as a key component of these efforts. Efforts of these four high schools are described: Bryan High School, Omaha, Nebraska; Humboldt Secondary Complex, St. Paul, Minnesota; Mayfield High School, Las Cruces, New Mexico; and West Charlotte High School, Charlotte, North Carolina. Each description provides information on the school, restructuring initiatives, initiating the change process, and restructuring facilitators and barriers. Types of restructuring initiatives include the following: tech prep, advisement, block scheduling, integration of vocational and academic courses, and a career planning portfolio. Late start days, teacher meetings, and teamwork are the initiation methods discussed. These facilitators are identified: administrator support, teamwork, teacher-driven action, and partnerships with universities and colleges. The following barriers are cited: loss of momentum, inservice programs, evaluation, lack of inservice training and common planning, scheduling, lack of involvement from outside groups, and lack of consistent leadership. A final section provides a summary of implications for leaders of school reforms. Conclusions about successful restructuring are as follows: it takes time, requires collaborative teamwork from all stakeholders, occurs from both internal and external pressure and motives, and is an ongoing process. [More] Descriptors: Career Education, Case Studies, Change Agents, Change Strategies
(1993). Superintendents of Small Districts and School Improvement: Planning, Providing Resources and Professional Development, Issues about Change. This newsletter provides examples from four small, rural school districts of how innovative superintendents plan and provide resources and provide staff development, which are two of the six ways that school administrators effect change. The superintendents are located in a small poor district in the Arkansas Mississippi Delta region, a primarily Hispanic small city in northeastern New Mexico, a small rural K-12 school in Oklahoma, and a northeastern Oklahoma district in which 75 percent of students are Native American. Interviews with the four superintendents describe how they go about implementing their visions of school improvement by identifying important educational needs or deficiencies, by aggressively searching for supplemental funding, and by promoting staff development opportunities that involve teachers in the change process. The superintendents offer guidelines and advice to other administrators implementing change in small or rural school districts. Tips include: identify special needs and select programs for needs; utilize available state and service agency resources; identify school budget funding resources; subscribe to the "Federal Register"; write and submit grant proposals; train staff for grant writing; survey needs of parents; replicate successful programs; identify and visit model schools; assist in passage of bond issues; network with colleagues; work with local higher education institutions; conduct workshops; and use available community resources. Contains 10 references. [More] Descriptors: Administrator Role, Change Agents, Change Strategies, Educational Change
(1997). An Initial Exploration of the Navajo Nation's Language and Culture Initiative. This paper presents some preliminary findings from an opinion survey on the nature and depth of language and cultural studies to be included in school curricula as required by the Navajo Tribe's Language and Culture Mandate (1984). A 10-question survey was sent to 20 elementary and secondary schools in the Navajo Nation in New Mexico and Arizona. In addition, 21 attendees of the Navajo Studies Conference in Albuquerque participated in the survey. The 37 respondents included community members and teachers ranging in age from 14 to over 65. Respondents felt that Navajo or tribal elders should teach Navajo language and culture and that language arts and social studies were the top choices for curriculum expansion. Sixty-two percent felt that daily instruction was necessary and that students should be competent or fluent in Navajo. Most participants felt that parental/clan involvement was necessary and that parents should be taught Navajo language and culture so they could support and teach their children. They also felt that religion and ceremonial instruction were best taught outside of school. Although the survey showed that members of the Navajo nation are very concerned with the education of their children, opinions on the means and goals of education are not consistently shared. An appendix includes the survey questionnaire. [More] Descriptors: American Indian Culture, American Indian Education, Bilingual Education, Community Attitudes
(1994). Sociological Factors in Rural Communities That Impact the Entrance and Upward Mobility of Female Administrators and Administrative Aspirants in Public Schools. Research indicates that female teachers who attempt to enter and advance in administrative positions encounter obstacles ranging from sex-role stereotyping to direct prejudice and discrimination. While these obstacles have been researched for a number of years, there has been little focus on the barriers experienced by women in rural districts. Forty women who held administrative certificates in New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming were interviewed. It was found that religion was much more likely to be a serious barrier for rural female administrators and aspirants than for their counterparts in urban settings. Respondents indicated that the religious affiliation of the applicant, as it compared to that of the superintendent or school board members, was very likely to influence hiring and advancement decisions. In addition, the dominant religion in rural towns tended to define roles for women in very traditional ways, and being single or divorced was seen as a tremendous liability. Respondents indicated that rural communities had clear expectations of administrators in three areas: appropriate roles, personality characteristics, and physical characteristics. For a woman to engage, or attempt to participate, in a role that was seen as "male," was clearly not acceptable in rural communities. In addition, the expectation that women should be doing "female" things was strongly held by both genders in the community. Rural communities viewed women as not being "hard" enough to deal with administrative tasks such as discipline and group management and also placed a high value on physical size and stature of the applicant. Contains 39 references. [More] Descriptors: Administrator Selection, Community Attitudes, Elementary Secondary Education, Physical Characteristics
(1977). Guide to Competency-Based Education for Business and Office Occupations. A Catalog of Bookkeeping/Accounting, Clerical/Secretarial, and Data Processing Skills Which Your Students Need to Get a Job and to Keep It. This curriculum guide was developed to help administrators develop a competency-based postsecondary curriculum to prepare students for employment in business and office occupations. The content is in five sections. The first one introduces the concepts and techniques of competency-based education and includes some sample forms, such as student progress charts and instructor's schedules. Each of the next three sections presents the core competencies and job skills along with prerequisite knowledge (subject matter student must know to fulfill the competency) for one job cluster. The three job clusters covered are bookkeeping/accounting (includes bookkeeping clerk, full charge bookkeeper, accountant, and internal auditor/controller), data processing (includes key entry operator, data control clerk, data processing trainee, and programmer), and clerical/secretarial (includes receptionist clerk-typist, word processor, clerk-stenographer, secretary, and administrative secretary). An outline of the vocational competencies and liberal arts subjects required for an associate degree in secretarial administration is included. The last section covers the employment outlook for several occupations within the three job clusters and for each occupation includes a description of work, helpful personal traits, training, salary, and employment outlook in the United States, New Mexico, and Albuquerque. Descriptors: Accounting, Behavioral Objectives, Bookkeeping, Business Skills
(1997). State-Level Reforms in Education: District Response and the Implications for Special Education. Cross-Site Analysis Based on Four Case Studies. This paper provides cross-site policy analysis of themes related to state education reform and the impact of state educational reforms on students with disabilities and special education programs. It analyzes state-level reforms in the general education policy areas of curriculum, assessment, accountability, teacher development, and governance and explores local district implementation in each of these areas. Each case study site was selected because of its participation in the Consortium for Inclusive Schooling Practices. Sites included: (1) two large, diverse urban districts in California; (2) two rural, racially homogeneous districts in Missouri; (3) two rural/suburban districts with a high degree of student diversity in New Mexico; and (4) two fairly homogeneous suburban districts in Pennsylvania. The study was limited to kindergarten through grade 12 education programs and focused on students with disabilities rather than the gifted and talented who are sometimes included under special education. In spite of an emphasis by the states on standards-based curricula, these districts tended to focus on curriculum development supported by external funds, often part of integrated curriculum and instruction packages. Performance-based assessment has had benefits in terms of staff development, but not necessarily in terms of understanding student achievement levels. All the study states were putting increasing emphasis on accountability, but while state reforms were focused on improving the quality of teaching, local efforts centered on increasing the availability of teachers. State reforms fostering increased local governance have been well-received, and are being implemented. [More] Descriptors: Accountability, Case Studies, Curriculum, Disabilities
(1997). Case Studies of Urban Schools: Portrayals of Schools in Change. A purposeful sample of four comprehensive urban high schools involved in educational restructuring initiatives was analyzed to determine how each site has implemented educational restructuring efforts and how vocational education fits into those restructuring efforts. The four sites studied were as follows: Bryan High School in Omaha, Nebraska; Humboldt Secondary Complex in St. Paul, Minnesota; Mayfield High School in Las Cruces, New Mexico; and West Charlotte High School in Charlotte, North Carolina. The sites were selected on the basis of four criteria: membership in the Urban Schools Network; presence of regular and vocational offerings; presence of school-restructuring activities; and interest in participation. Data were collected through the following methods: onsite observations; interviews with key stakeholders (teachers, students, parents, administrators, employers, and others); and review of pertinent documents and records. At three sites, economic viability appeared to be the primary motive for restructuring. Societal equality appeared to be the primary motive for restructuring at the fourth site. No school had addressed the need to evaluate the impact and outcomes associated with restructuring. Vocational education's involvement was related to the following: infusion of Perkins funding, development of integrated courses, tech prep, school-to-work activities, career academies, and the implementation of a career planning portfolio program for all students. (Contains 10 references.) [More] Descriptors: Case Studies, Change Strategies, Comparative Analysis, Educational Objectives
(1997). Discovering Students' Voices in Teachers' Classroom Inquiry. This study is part of a large project on teacher research and professional development in progress in the Teacher Enhancement Program (TEP), a collaborative mid-career program between the University of New Mexico and local public schools. The objective of the study was to describe teachers' engagement in classroom inquiry and the transformative process by which teachers awoke to their students' new voices and ways of participation in the classroom as well as the impact on their teaching methods and philosophy. Participants were 24 teachers attending TEP and the program staff during the semester of the course in teacher research. Teachers' involvement in their Classroom Systematic Inquiry Project (CSIP) was assisted by a peer support group, readings, whole group presentations and conversations, and the corresponding peer support member of the staff. Teacher perceptions of the new dimensions they discovered in their students were identified by means of discourse analysis of oral and written presentation of their inquiry projects and meetings. Findings indicated: teachers' transformative process went from skepticism to increased democratization of their classrooms; teachers awakened to their students' new voices, thereby becoming aware of their own teaching transformation; although skeptical and fearful at the beginning of the course, teachers eventually became fully engaged in their classroom inquiry. It was concluded that enhancing collaboration and more democratic student participation in the classroom is a necessary but not sufficient condition to assure culturally relevant teaching. (Contains 39 references.) [More] Descriptors: Action Research, Classroom Communication, Classroom Techniques, College School Cooperation
(1997). Women in the Rural Principalship. During summer and fall of 1997, 21 women rural principals in Nebraska and New Mexico were interviewed to highlight their positive experiences as principals. During the telephone interviews, which lasted 30-45 minutes, the principals were asked eight open-ended questions concerning: (1) how they got their first principalship; (2) why they were hired, what qualities got them the job; (3) what experiences prepared them for the principalship; (4) what they liked best about the job as principal; (5) what aspects of the job were most enjoyable; (6) what skills were important to the position as principal; (7) who they turned to with a problem; and (8) what support for their career was provided by family. Interview excerpts illustrating major themes comprise the bulk of this paper. The themes include the importance of leadership and people skills, love of watching children learn and grow, the positive influence of effective mentors, the value of support from superintendents, the fact that women have to work harder and be better at their jobs than men, and the importance of family support. Interview questions are appended. [More] Descriptors: Administrator Attitudes, Administrator Characteristics, Elementary Secondary Education, Employed Women
(1996). Improvement Strategies at Six Culturally Different Schools. Final Report FY91-FY95, Leadership for Change Project. School leaders have begun to understand that "change is a process." Leaders must facilitate change, not merely disseminate or direct it. This publication presents findings of the Leadership for Change Project (LFC). The LFC studied six sites at different stages of the school-improvement process, including two "developmental" sites in Arkansas and Texas that had just launched major improvement efforts, and four "historical" schools (one in Louisiana, one in New Mexico, and two in Oklahoma) that had a history of school-improvement. Data, collected during 1992-95, were obtained through face-to-face interviews, observations, telephone interviews, document analysis, and questionnaires. The following factors were identified as facilitators of or impediments to change: organizational rigidity, time shortage, administrative support, administrative communication, support network, and state-level support. In addition, school improvement is a progression of stages: getting started, maintaining momentum, and fostering a climate conducive to change. Two tables and one figure are included. Appendices contain a list of site characteristics, methodological information, a list of LFC publications, and a glossary. (Contains references throughout the text.) [More] Descriptors: Administrator Role, Case Studies, Educational Change, Educational Improvement
(1991). Resumenes Analiticos en Education del 0001 al 0230 (Analytic Resumes in Education, from 0001 to 0230), Resumenes Analiticos en Educacion. REDUC is a cooperative network of some 23 associated centers in 17 Latin American and Caribbean countries. The REDUC coordinating center is located in Santiago, Chile. REDUC produces a bibliographic database containing analytical summaries (approximately 800 items annually) of the most important research studies and project descriptions in the field of education in the region. This annual bibliography, four issues of which are combined here, is a project of the REDUC center at the University of New Mexico: the "Programmas Latinamericanos de Educacion (LAPE)" within the "Oficina de Cooperacion Technica Internacional (OITEC)." It lists domestic American documents that are concerned with Latin American education. It provides, for the REDUC database, resumes for English language documents produced in the United States that are relevant to REDUC. The 1988 volume contains 36 resumes; the 1989 volume, 71 resumes; the 1990 volume, 61 resumes; and the 1991 volume, 62 resumes. Entries, which are in Spanish except for the original title in English, include the author, place and year of publication, number of pages, methodology, and conclusions. It is noted that most of the items described appear to be theses available from University Microfilms International (UMI). Descriptors: Abstracts, Annotated Bibliographies, Bibliographic Databases, Computer Networks
(1997). Designing, Developing and Implementing WWW-Based Distance Learning. The rapid advancement of communication technologies is resulting in a wide array of design and development choices for distance learning projects. The 58th Special Operations Wing at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, is developing a prototype distance learning project designed to serve geographically separated learner populations. Project staff are designing, developing, and implementing a prototype transportable process for transmitting interactive multimedia curriculum instruction over the World Wide Web to geographically distant locations. This curriculum strategy uses standard computer-based hardware and commercial off-the-shelf authoring and playback software and hardware. Course and lesson content include use of compressed video, digital audio, and graphic animation to deliver instruction and solicit interactive feedback. Among the problems encountered are the amount of time needed to code each frame of courseware and accommodating changes in website addresses. Lessons learned include the following: (1) investment in initial design is crucial; (2) careful consideration of content is necessary due to bandwidth and connection limitations; and (3) not all lessons can be adequately converted to web-based training. [More] Descriptors: Adult Education, Computer Software Development, Courseware, Distance Education
(1994). Magnet Schools: Pockets of Excellence in a Sea of Diversity. An Examination of How Eleven Magnet Schools Further the Goals of School Desegregation in Federal Region F. The effectiveness of magnet schools in providing racially balanced learning environments for students and the overall quality of the education they provide were studied in an investigation of 11 magnet school campuses in Federal Region F, which includes Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. Sites included three elementary schools, four middle school or junior high schools, and four high schools. Data were collected through on-site observations and interviews with the local on-site coordinators and appropriate local officials. Findings suggest that, as a desegregation strategy of choice, magnet schools are seen to be a viable alternative for creating schools that work for all students regardless of race, sex, and national origin. If the practices that work best in magnet schools could be transferred to all schools, quality equitable learning experiences would result. Maintaining magnet schools as pockets of excellence will not meet the needs of the nation's students in the year 2000 and beyond. Therefore, it is in everyone's collective interest to adopt the promising practices of magnet schools as part of the ongoing operations of non-magnet schools when and wherever possible. Appendix A discusses research instrumentation, and Appendix B contains the study's 12 figures. (Contains 12 tables, 12 figures, and 12 references.) [More] Descriptors: Cultural Awareness, Desegregation Effects, Educational Change, Educational Practices