Describes the Futures Project, an initiative funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts to develop the policies and practices essential to the effective evolution of the U.S. system of higher education. Outlines the efforts of the New England Board of Higher Education toward the same goals and describes some specific programs developed in New England,…

Describes the responses of pharmacy schools in New England to the current shortage of pharmacists. The lengthened pharmacy program, recently expanded from 5 years to 6, is being accompanied by increased regional cooperation, with internships and some tuition breaks for pharmacy students. (SLD)

The City of Burlington (population 40,000) is home to the University of Vermont (UVM), Champlain College and Burlington College. UVM alone enrolls some 7,300 undergraduate students and almost 9,000 students overall. With the university just a half-mile up the hill from the city center, Burlington's urban amenities--its arts and culture,…

As pre-K-12 classrooms become more diverse, and teachers and students are held ever more accountable for learning, the task of preparing pre-K-12 teachers becomes more of a hot potato. Reflecting public skepticism about whether teachers know as much as they should, Congress has required teacher preparation programs to report their graduates' pass…

When a fire breaks out in the twin cities of Lewiston and Auburn, Maine, the firefighter response time is just a bit quicker these days, thanks to student research at Bates College. When the alarm sounds, firefighters click on a computer map that tells them the size of the burning structure, the quickest route to the fire, the closest hydrant and…

American research universities are renowned for applying cutting-edge science to the improvement of the world's health and environmental systems. Indeed, as a society, people have come to expect this type of intellectual leadership from their great universities. Less appreciated is the robust opportunity for state and local governments to harness…

A wave of teacher retirements is expected just as fewer college-bound students express a preference for teaching careers, and more diverse students reach school age. Former U.S. Education Secretary Richard Riley suggested the nation would need more than 2 million new teachers over the next decade. This article presents some perspectives on…

Students returning to pre-K-12 classrooms across New England this fall expected well-kept facilities, up-to-date textbooks and basic supplies. Unfortunately missing from an increasing number of these classrooms is a certified teacher with a mastery of the subject matter being taught and an understanding of how children learn. In this article, the…

Unlike many of her colleagues, the author was not "trying out" teaching as a profession. As early as elementary school, she knew she wanted to teach. Her commitment to teaching grew out of a basic commitment to social justice. From her own experience, she knew that whether or not a child receives a good education often hinges on the child's…

University Park Campus School (UPCS), which opened in 1997, is among the most innovative aspects of Clark's nationally prominent multimillion-dollar revitalization effort to clean up Worcester's deteriorating Main South neighborhood and encourage staff and faculty to buy homes there. The school, like the broader initiative, is the product of a…

The most important date in the Boston University Chelsea Partnership was not the day in 1989 when the initial partnership agreement was signed. Nor was it the date in 1997 when the School Committee voted unanimously to renew the partnership for five additional years. If an objective history of the Boston University-Chelsea Partnership were…

Higher education authorities are embracing the latest movement in education known as "P-16." Its proponents argue that colleges have operated too long as a separate realm from America's public schools. As a result, many high school graduates are not properly prepared for college, despite the unrelenting national push in public schools for rigorous…

Many white students are barely exposed to African-American history throughout their schooling. When students do examine the other side of American history, the one not generally found in their textbooks, they often wonder why they have not learned this before. An understanding of African-American history is central to any effort to eliminate…

A little over a year ago, the New Hampshire State Board of Education declared attracting and retaining quality educators to be its number one priority. Teacher shortages are looming throughout New England. But in the rural northern tier of New Hampshire, the challenge of recruiting teachers is especially tough. While New Hampshire is the…

A British Columbia off-campus program enables cohorts of adults to undertake graduate study at a distance. Groups promote transformative learning and continuing professional development. Key principles include adult-centered learning; diverse, inclusive groups; learner participation in program design; and collaborative learning. (Contains 49…