Education & Pedagogy

The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to understand the perceptions of general education teachers regarding special education and disability. Furthermore, the study also sought to explore the possibility of reframing perceptions of special education and disability by way of exposure to the concepts of critical disability theory and cultural humility. The phenomenological research relied on narrative analysis to investigate the perception of general education teachers regarding disability and special education. In addition, the research explored how critical disability theory and cultural humility may impact general education teachers' perception of disability and special education. The dissertation in practice study included eleven elementary school teachers from California who all had three or more years of teaching experience. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This short description examines vocational education and training (VET) in Bulgaria. The overall aim is to help build bridges between VET systems, encourage learner and teacher mobility across Europe, and foster the understanding that Bulgaria's VET is first rate. Four sections focus on: (1) External factors influencing VET (demographics, economy and labor market indicators, educational attainment, and employment policies); (2) Provision of VET (VET in the national education and training system, financing VET, other forms of training, VET governance, teachers and trainers, and recent policy changes); (3) Shaping VET qualifications (anticipating skills needs, VET professions, state educational standards for VET, VET curricula, national qualifications framework, managing qualifications, validation for nonformal and informal learning, and quality assurance); and (4) Promoting VET participation (campaigns and easy-to-access registers, incentives for enterprises, guidance and counseling, and key challenges and opportunities).

Federal education benefits for veterans represent a substantial investment--$18 billion since 2009 under the Post-9/11 GI Bill--in the development of a skilled American workforce. Unfortunately, this investment does not always pay off because many veterans encounter serious obstacles as they attempt to navigate the higher education system and the labor market. Access to career and education advising programs would enable more veterans to successfully complete degrees and to pursue satisfying careers. This paper surveys the career and education advising options currently available to veterans via military reintegration programs, web-based resources, non-profit service providers, and colleges and universities. It concludes that additional career and education advising resources are needed--especially those available to veterans prior to enrollment in postsecondary institutions--to ensure that veterans are able to take full advantage of their federal education benefits.

The 2015 edition of the "Annual Condition of Education Report" includes a rich set of information about the status of Iowa's K-12 education system. The report provides valuable feedback about Iowa's students, educators and school districts across a number of statewide measures. They include changes in student populations and demographics, trends involving teacher salaries, student performance, and school financial information. Information such as demographic characteristics, enrollment trends, early childhood education, staff, district and school programs, student performance, assessment results, college readiness measures, courses taken, technology readiness, special education, and school finance are examples of data included in the report. [For the 2014 report, see ED591736.]

A+ Education Partnership is a statewide, non-partisan, non-profit organization that works to shape policy, improve teaching and learning, and engage communities in ongoing conversations about the best ways to create great schools for every child and build a bright future for Alabama. "Alabama Public Education at a Glance" provides in tabular form: (1) demographics for school systems; (2) breakdowns of various achievement gaps; (3) data on college and career readiness of high school graduates; (4) summaries of education revenues and expenditures; and (5) pre-k information on how Alabama stacks up compared to other states. A+ has compiled this data to provide information on the state of education in Alabama, using the most current data available. [For the 2014 edition, see ED560225.]

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which passed in late 2015, is the first major federal law in more than 30 years offering states a significant degree of flexibility to broaden--rather than narrow--curricula, and strongly encourages states to ensure all students have access to a well-rounded education, which includes the arts and music. Armed with the evidence presented in this report highlighting the impressive effects education in and through the arts can have on student success, state policymakers have an opportunity and incentive to take advantage of the flexibility awarded under ESSA related to the arts. This Education Trends report explores research on how the arts bolster the development of deeper learning skills, provides examples of programs that successfully increased access to the arts in education in public schools, and includes state- and local-level policy considerations.

"Critical Pedagogy, Physical Education and Urban Schooling" is a critical ethnography of health, physical education and the schooling experiences of urban youth. The subjects of health and physical education are compulsory in most schools internationally, but many contemporary practices in these subjects reinforce rather than challenge the stereotypes that urban youth are only physically talented and, subsequently, uninterested in schooling achievement. This book questions those practices and instead suggests that, if taught in critical ways, these subjects offer a particularly cogent space of hope and achievement for urban youth. The use of critical ethnography enables an in-depth account of urban youth in the subjects of health and physical education at school. This book thus explores the complex potential for health and physical education as key sites of learning for marginalized urban youth, examining these disciplines as subjects that are both politically fraught and also spaces of hope.

This bulletin documents: (1) a quarter century's progress in medical education, including inadequate governmental control over medical education, action by a voluntary agency, legal power v. publicity, greatly enlarged teaching plants, hospitals as related to medical education, hospital internships, and the hospital as an important educational factor; and (2) newer problems in medical education, including higher cost of medical education, scholarships and loan funds, the medical curriculum, graduate medical education, limitation of enrollments, specialization in medicine, and changes in general practice. In 20 years, medical education in the United States has undergone a marvelous improvement, so that the medical schools of this country are at least on a par with those of other leading nations. Remaining problems are chiefly those due to the other improvements made. Readjustments will be made which will doubtless bring about the desired results. (Contains 5 footnotes, 4 tables, and 2 figures.) [Best copy available has been provided.]

The Special Education Division of the Office of Public Instruction (OPI) provides many services to Montana schools to assist them in providing a quality education to all students. The programs managed through this division are all aligned with Superintendent Juneau's Graduation Matters Montana initiative. The special education division is organized into four work units that provide professional development, funding, data collection and analysis, and general supervision to local school districts. These efforts are supported by an excellent group of administrative assistants that keep the division functioning smoothly. This document is divided into the following parts: (1) Special Education Division; (2) Students Served; (3) Funding; and (4) State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report. Special Education Acronym Dictionary is appended. (Contains 11 figures and 36 tables.)

"Higher Education Exchange" publishes case studies, analyses, news, and ideas about efforts within higher education to develop more democratic societies. Contributors to this issue of the "Higher Education Exchange" examine whether institutions of higher learning are doing anything to increase the capacity of citizens to shape their future. Contents include: (1) Foreword (Deborah Witte); (2) What Is the Real College of Education? (David Mathews); (3) Forging Ties That Bind: The Engagement Challenge in Higher Education (Frank Fear); (4) Engaged Faculty: An Interview (KerryAnn O'Meara); (5) Student-Led Civic Education: A Different Way of Knowing (Harold H. Saunders, David Tukey, Amy Lazarus, and Rhonda Fitzgerald); (6) Community Colleges and Civic Learning: An Interview (Bernie Ronan); and (7) "Not For Profit: Why Democracy Needs the Humanities" by Martha C. Nussbaum (Sara A. Mehltretter Drury). [For "Higher Education Exchange, 2010," see ED539323.]

"Taking Stock and Pushing Forward" (2014) reports states' progress toward the Challenge to Lead 2020 Goals for Education. State-specific documents report on student achievement as well as essential state policies to improve it. Among the many metrics: how states are improving achievement on NAEP [National Assessment of Educational Progress], high school graduation rates, and access to postsecondary education for black and Hispanic students. [This report was developed by a team of SREB staff members led by Jeff Gagne. Key team members included Michaela de Groot, Matthew Smith, Jenny Hite, Alex Camardelle, and Joan Lord.]

"Taking Stock and Pushing Forward" (2014) reports states' progress toward the Challenge to Lead 2020 Goals for Education. State-specific documents report on student achievement as well as essential state policies to improve it. Among the many metrics: how states are improving achievement on NAEP, high school graduation rates, and access to postsecondary education for black and Hispanic students. [This report was developed by a team of SREB staff members led by Jeff Gagne. Key team members included Michaela de Groot, Matthew Smith, Jenny Hite, Alex Camardelle, and Joan Lord.]

"Taking Stock and Pushing Forward" (2014) reports states' progress toward the Challenge to Lead 2020 Goals for Education. State-specific documents report on student achievement as well as essential state policies to improve it. Among the many metrics: how states are improving achievement on NAEP, high school graduation rates, and access to postsecondary education for black and Hispanic students. [This report was developed by a team of SREB staff members led by Jeff Gagne. Key team members included Michaela de Groot, Matthew Smith, Jenny Hite, Alex Camardelle, and Joan Lord.]

This digest identifies seven essential elements of effective programs for students in alternative programs because they have dropped out, are at risk for dropping out, or have behavior disorders that require special education outside the general education setting. Such alternative programs offer flexible curricula that can address the unique social, behavioral, emotional, cognitive, and vocational needs of each student. The seven essential elements are: (1) functional assessment that identifies student strengths and skill deficits; (2) functional curriculum that meets the student's individual needs; (3) effective and efficient instruction aligned with functional assessment measures and the curriculum; (4) transition into and out of the alternative setting; (5) comprehensive systems that coordinate special education and treatment services; (6) appropriate staff, resources, and procedural protections for students with disabilities as required under the 1997 amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; and (7) supportive climate in which students feel welcome, safe, and valued. (DB)

This master plan sets forth mission statements for each component of Nevada's system of higher education and outlines overarching goals for the system within a 10-year time frame. It also describes targets and strategies directed at achieving these goals. Nevada is the fastest growing state in terms of percentage growth, yet trails most other states in the percentage of its high school graduates who enroll in higher education and earn degrees. Four goals are established for Nevada higher education: (1) Nevada will equal other states in the participation and success of its students in higher education; (2) Nevada will provide consistently excellent learning experiences for its students in higher education; (3) higher education will be an essential element in developing a strong and dynamic economy for Nevada; and (4) through instruction, service, and research, higher education in Nevada will be instrumental in advancing society's objectives and enriching the state's residents. Targets, strategies, and shared responsibilities are outlined for each of these goals. (SLD)