Education & Pedagogy

Several recent documents and presentations, most but not all from the British Columbia (BC) Ministry of Education, suggest that considerable changes are being floated as options for redesigning inclusive educational approaches in the BC K-12 public education system. The documents include: (1) "The BC Education Plan"; (2) "Global Education Leaders' Program (GELP) Case Study: Developing an Education System for the 21st Century--British Columbia, Canada"; (3) "Considerations for the Future of Special Education in BC" (BC Ministry of Education Powerpoint presentation to the Family Focus conference, October 2012); and (4) "Future Directions for Support Services: Pilots and Other Projects that Flow out of 'The Plan.'" In addition, one legal decision (the Jeffrey Moore case) may impact the provision of Special Education Services, and the disbursement of the Learning Improvement Fund (LIF) will impact staffing and, in some districts, professional development spending and provision. This paper looks at each of the above documents in turn, while also considering the Moore case and the LIF funding.

Special education has come a long way in the past several years, but it still needs work. Federal and state laws have been passed in order to allow children with disabilities a chance to earn a free appropriate education in a least restrictive environment. Federal Regulations have been enacted by both Congress and the U.S. Department of Education. These regulations provide guidance to states on how to proceed with special education procedure. For the state, special education rules and regulations are represented by IDEA or Individual with Disabilities Education Act, enacted in 2004. This law provides guidance on the implementation of IDEA. This paper will address several regulations and laws regarding special education. There will be four questions addressed in this research paper: (1) How has special education changed in the past 12 years since the IDEA act was enacted in 2004?; (2) What are the state regulations on special education?; (3) What are the federal laws regarding Special education?; and (4) How did laws regarding special education influence other countries to promote equality and inclusion in special education practices? (A bibliography is included.)

This policy profile on education in Iceland is part of the "Education Policy Outlook" series, which presents comparative analysis of education policies and reforms across OECD countries. Building on the OECD's substantial comparative and sectoral knowledge base, the series offers a comparative outlook on education policy by providing analysis of individual countries' educational context, challenges and policies (education policy profiles), analysis of international trends, and insight into policies and reforms on selected topics. This profile reviews the current context and situation of the Iceland's education system and examines its challenges and policy responses, according to six policy levers that support improvement: how to raise outcomes for all in terms of (1) equity and quality and (2) preparing students for the future; how to raise quality through (3) school improvement and (4) evaluation and assessment; how the system is organised to deliver education policy in terms of (5) governance and (6) funding. A list of References and further reading is included.

This policy profile on education in Estonia is part of the "Education Policy Outlook" series, which presents comparative analysis of education policies and reforms across OECD countries. Building on the OECD's substantial comparative and sectoral knowledge base, the series offers a comparative outlook on education policy by providing analysis of individual countries' educational context, challenges and policies (education policy profiles), analysis of international trends, and insight into policies and reforms on selected topics. This profile reviews the current context and situation of the Estonia's education system and examines its challenges and policy responses, according to six policy levers that support improvement: how to raise outcomes for all in terms of (1) equity and quality and (2) preparing students for the future; how to raise quality through (3) school improvement and (4) evaluation and assessment; how the system is organised to deliver education policy in terms of (5) governance and (6) funding. References and further reading are included.

This policy profile on education in Austria is part of the "Education Policy Outlook" series, which presents comparative analysis of education policies and reforms across OECD countries. Building on the OECD's substantial comparative and sectoral knowledge base, the series offers a comparative outlook on education policy by providing analysis of individual countries' educational context, challenges and policies (education policy profiles), analysis of international trends, and insight into policies and reforms on selected topics. This profile reviews the current context and situation of the Austria's education system and examines its challenges and policy responses, according to six policy levers that support improvement: how to raise outcomes for all in terms of (1) equity and quality and (2) preparing students for the future; how to raise quality through (3) school improvement and (4) evaluation and assessment; how the system is organised to deliver education policy in terms of (5) governance and (6) funding. References and further reading are included.

Each year, governors take the stage to highlight accomplishments and outline policy priorities for their states. In an effort to provide up-to-date information on education policy trends, Education Commission of the States tracks all education policy proposals and accomplishments featured by governors in these State of the State addresses. At the top of the agenda for governors in 2016 is the continued focus on increasing education funding without raising taxes or cutting other services. Governors also seek to provide additional compensation to teachers while developing strategies to recruit and retain instructors. Additionally, governors are working to coordinate initiatives that make college more affordable and draw residents to degree and training programs for high demand sectors. This report provides a summary of the top education issues highlighted by the 41 governors who have delivered their 2016 State of the State addresses to date. A full summary of the education policy highlights within each address is available on the Education Commission of the States website.

The chief factors in State administration of public education are the State board, the State superintendent, and the professional staff of the State departments of education. Several valuable studies have been made of the State board and the State superintendent. It is the purpose of the present study to supplement these with an investigation of the professional staff of State education departments. The term "professional staff" as employed throughout the ensuing discussion refers to those members of a State education department engaged in a type of service requiring professional knowledge, training, and experience for its proper execution. The study is confined to the professional staff of education departments in five States: Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, with the exception of Chapter II which makes a survey of the development of State departments of education in the country at large since 1900. A bibliography is included. (Contains 31 tables; individual sections contain footnotes.) [Best copy available has been provided.]

The statistical survey presented in this bulletin includes a general summary of statistics, showing the enrollment in public and private schools and institutions of various types, the estimated expenditures for those schools in 1919-20, the distribution of teachers among those schools, and certain combined statistics of public and private high schools reported separately to the bureau by the high schools. It includes, also, tables showing the total enrollment by States, distributed in public and private elementary, secondary, and higher educational institutions. Graphs have been added to portray certain statistical material from several bulletins. An index is included. (Individual chapters contain tables and figures.) [Best copy available has been provided.]

This paper focuses on Czech Republic's arts and cultural education. The decisions related to cultural and creative dimension of education are made at the central level, by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports. The Ministry is responsible for the development of the Framework Educational Programme for Basic Education (FEP BE). One of the aims of the whole curriculum by the FEP BE is "Pupil respects, protects and appreciate national traditions and the country's cultural and historical heritage; has a positive attitude to works of art, has a sense of culture and creativity, gets actively involved in cultural and sporting activities." This paper contains the following sections: (1) Responsibility and purpose; (2) Organisation and aims of arts education; (3) Special provision with a focus on art education; (4) Assessment of pupils' progress and monitoring of standards in the arts; (5) Teacher education in the arts; (6) Initiatives; and (7) Ongoing reforms and proposals. (Contains 9 footnotes.)

A weeklong interdisciplinary seminar/workshop was held September 8-14, 2001 in Victoria, Canada to discuss the relationships between globalization, trade liberalization, and higher education, and to share information about the implications and impact of various multilateral trade agreements on higher education. A major purpose of the workshop was to outline a broad research agenda for this area. Some of the trends identified in higher education in the new global context are the changing objectives of higher education, new labor force demands, the massification of higher education, and increases in the number and diversity of higher education suppliers. New technology and the internationalization of colleges and universities are important elements of the new context for higher education. The workshop can be said to have achieved its main objective of mapping a broad agenda for research on the relationships between, and effects of, globalization and trade liberalization on higher education. Research objectives are identified for: (1) higher education and the knowledge society; (2) the emerging global economy; (3) multilateral trade liberalization; (4) regional free trade agreements; and (5) trade in education services. The following are appended: List of Participants; Schedule of Seminar/Workshop; and List of Related Readings. (Contains 63 references.) (SLD)

These curriculum materials are intended to supplement classroom resources for teaching middle school students about the roots of the nation's heritage and the responsibilities of U.S. citizenship. The materials are divided into 16 sections: (1) "Purpose"; (2) "Letter from Superintendent"; (3) "Forward: Miracle of America"; (4) "Preface: From Oppression to Freedom"; (5) "American Heritage Themes' (6) "1776 Declaration of Independence--Freedom" (HISD Character Education Focus January); (7) "1776 Lives, Fortunes, Sacred Honor--Freedom" (HISD Character Education Focus December); (8) "1776 Monarchy Game--Freedom and Progress" (HISD Character Education Focus February); (9) "1789 Thanksgiving--Unity" (HISD Character Education Focus November); (10) "1792 United States Flag--Unity and Freedom" (HISD Character Education Focus April); (11) "1814 Star-Spangled Banner--Unity" (HISD Character Education Focus May); (12) "1861 Gettysburg Address--Responsibility" (HISD Character Education Focus October); (13) "1864 National Motto--Progress" (HISD Character Education Focus February); (14) "1886 Statue of Liberty--Freedom" (HISD Character Education Focus March); (15) "1892 Pledge of Allegiance--Unity" (HISD Character Education Focus May); and (16) "2000 What Is an American?--Responsibility and Unity" (HISD Character Education Focus March). (BT)

Although explicit public-private partnerships are rare in education, there is a close connection between the public and private goals of education. Education inherently serves both public and private interests. Unfortunately, educational policy may find itself in conflict while simultaneously serving both public and private mandates. This article reviews that challenge and presents a variety of ways on which public and private sectors collaborate educationally. It reviews a range of linkages between the public and private sectors in elementary and secondary education. The article begins by reviewing the peculiar nature of education in producing what is both a public and private good. This suggests that public and private collaboration should be central to education. It follows with several existing interventions that link the public and private sectors and points out the necessity of public-private collaboration while also stressing the continuing sources of tension between the two sectors when it comes to education. Finally, it presents a venture to link public and private sectors in education by providing publicly financed vouchers that could be used for private schools. (Author/WFA)

This research brief examines the effects of federal legislation on vocational and technical education. Federal legislation must be reauthorized every 5 years, with an associated national study, the series of National Assessments of Vocational Education (NAVE). This pattern of constant reexamination has made federal support for vocational education somewhat unstable, and has resulted in multiple redefinitions of the purpose and nature of vocational education. The current labor force demands require that workers have higher levels of education, and in different forms, with a new focus on higher-order competencies. Ongoing retraining through lifelong learning is required if workers are to guard against job loss due to skill gaps. This brief analyzes the benefits of federal support of technical education programs. Although the federal government currently spends about $1 billion on postsecondary vocational education, this constitutes only 2% of total spending in the programs. Federal support for the programs demonstrates that education is a component of national economic growth and international competitiveness. It also demonstrates that vocational education promotes equity. The brief offers suggestions for federal policy, including funding and assessment issues and remedial education. (NB)

This paper asserts that central to the debate over excellence and equity in education is the shifting nature of authority over public education in the schools and school districts of Greater Boston, Massachusetts, noting that the autonomy that local school districts have historically exercised is fading, if not gone. The 1993 Massachusetts Education Reform Act gave the state expanded authority over school curriculum and the responsibility to develop assessments to measure student and school performance. The federal government has also taken a more authoritative role. This paper focuses on federal, state, and local players in education policy; understanding accountability (education reform and the birth of Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System, or MCAS; assessing MCAS; accountability at the national level; and local accountability); the choice movement (school choice, charter schools, and funding for school choice and charter schools); equity and school funding; serving special populations (special education, English language learners, and bilingual education); excellence in the classroom; school building construction and quality; and the future of education in Greater Boston. (SM)

This book provides a biography of Elizabeth Farrell (1870-1932), whose work for the education of children with disabilities in New York City in the early 1900s was instrumental in the development of special education. Following an introductory chapter, chapters cover the following aspects of her life; (1) her background; (2) New York City, the Henry Street Settlement, and the first special education class; (3) the special education experiment; (4) her special education model takes hold; (5) assessment challenges; (6) the new special education programs come under attack; (7) the immigrant-special education connection; (8) recruiting and training special education teachers; and (9) her work to establish special education professional organizations, especially the Council for Exceptional Children of which she was the first president; and (10) the end of her career and her death. A summary notes her advanced ideas about special education including avoidance of completely separate facilities and services, the goal of returning students in special classes to regular classes, and use of a comprehensive referral and placement procedure. (Contains approximately 225 references.) (DB)