Communities around the country are converging on a new approach to raising achievement for low-income children. This approach draws on two reform movements: (1) full-service community schools that provide wraparound health and social services to children and families, and (2) Prenatal through Grade 3 initiatives to improve quality, alignment, and…

School districts on the leading edge of the Birth through Third Grade movement have demonstrated unprecedented success raising the achievement of low-income students by developing coherent strategies focused on the early years of learning and development. These communities are not merely improving preschool. Rather, they are building aligned,…

Two approaches to professional learning communities, the inquiry-oriented and the results-oriented approaches, both have weaknesses. Neither adequately addresses the overall coherence of a school's efforts to improve teaching and learning. A third model, the Common Priorities approach, combines the strengths of the other two approaches and…

The need to dramatically increase the number of young people who gain the credentials and skills necessary to succeed in 21st century America has never been clearer. One of the most promising ideas for achieving this goal is to establish "multiple pathways" for learners that lead to a variety of high-quality postsecondary options. As New England…

The Bush Administration's announcement last year of $250 million in job training grants to community colleges is the latest indication of the institution's growing prominence. The community college is increasingly recognized for its flexibility and cost-effectiveness--providing affordable access to higher education and tailoring occupational…

Discusses stakeholder learning collaboratives, or collaboration among schools, colleges, and employers committed to decentralized small work groups, employee collaboration, and other high-performance practices. Details the core principles and initiatives of these innovative collaborations and offers examples of their implementation. (EV)