Despite decades of research, much is still unknown regarding how specific learning disability (SLD) identification decisions are made, particularly how language related to sociodemographic and psychosocial factors may impact decision-making. This study employed the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) method to examine the language used in…

The focus of this study was to examine how well Educational Leadership programs prepare principals to serve as literacy leaders. The role of a school leader is complex and multifaceted involving managerial duties and resource allocation (Jenkins, 2009). Yet, the primary role of the school leader is "…to promote the learning and success for…

Prior learning assessment policies allow students to earn college credit for knowledge and experience gained outside of a classroom, which can accelerate their time to graduation. Research shows that students who receive Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) credit accumulate more credit and graduate more quickly and at higher rates than their peers who…

Parents, have you ever wondered how NAEP fits into the big picture and what its results tell us about education? Are you curious about how NAEP sparks change across the country, and what resources are available for you and your child? Find out all of this information and more in a new brochure that the National Center for Education Statistics…

Latest standards-based reform documents from mathematics and science education organizations and communities bring forward one important issue--higher-order thinking skills, namely reasoning. In this article, we share our experiences and our approach to developing an integrated course for mathematics and science prospective teachers centered on…

New administrative offices for diversity are popping up at universities around the country, and one can usually count on them to cast minority-recruiting efforts in a favorable light. There is still, however, a role for the old-school rabble-rousers, as a new report from a faculty committee at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor makes clear.…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) Senate Committee Passes Education Appropriations Bill; (2) Upside Down: New Alliance Brief Says Federal Education…

The primary purpose of the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory (NCREL's) Center for Literacy is to improve the reading achievement of all students by providing assistance to schools, districts, education service agencies, and state education agencies in defining and implementing research-based best practices in literacy. The Center for…

Now that all 50 states and the District of Columbia are building statewide longitudinal data systems, the next step is to ensure that the information in these systems is used to improve student learning. The Data Quality Campaign (DQC) has identified 10 actions that states can take to ensure that the right data are available and accessible and…

Ann Arbor Ecology Center's Community Organic Garden represents a different approach to environmental education. The project helped with the development of programs which achieved a number of goals including: (1) mixing students and citizens in a working/social situation, (2) teaching environmental principles through the experience of gardening,…

The objectives of this book are to report on current activities in the arts, and to recommend further projects to create a greater public awareness of the arts. The reports are not intended for simple legislative digestion, nor necessarily for executive implementation, but rather are intended to prompt, encourage, and initiate fuller aesthetic…

This report presents findings and recommendations of the Michigan Commission on Higher Education concerning needed reforms in postsecondary education. Emphasis is placed on planning and coordination, institutional governance, and future agenda. Planning and coordination is discussed in relation to the developing crisis, constitutional ambiguity,…

An Adolescent Study Group was established by the Michigan Department of Public Health/Center for Substance Abuse Services (MCPH/CSAS) to examine the current delivery system of substance abuse treatment services for adolescents. The primary focus was on treatment services for alcohol, tobacco and other drug (ATOD) problems among adolescents in…

Part I of a sociological study concerned with the urbanization of Mexican Americans (former migrant farm workers) in Michigan cities is presented. Using a random sample of Mexican American households, the following areas are examined: household composition and education, migration and community stabilization, finding jobs, employment and income…

Developed by the Advanced Systems Development Division of International Business Machines (IBM) in consultation with two professors, the Educational and Career Exploration System (ECES) includes information on 400 occupations and 300 post-high school majors. Designed for the high school student and for use with a computer terminal, the system…