Braunsteiner, Maria-Luise; Mariano-Lapidus, Susan (2021). Using the Index for Inclusion to Measure Attitudes and Perceptions of Inclusion in Teacher and School Building Leader Candidates in the USA and Austria. International Journal of Inclusive Education, v25 n13 p1443-1462. The present investigation sought to understand the perceptions of, and attitudes toward, inclusive schooling in teacher and administrative candidates in the USA and Austria using items derived from the Index for Inclusion (Booth, T., and M. Ainscow. 2011. "Index for Inclusion: Developing Learning and Participation in Schools." Bristol: CSIE). Responses were analysed in terms of differences between institutions, past experience and certification area. Statistical findings were contextualised with responses to open questions designed to ascertain candidates' understanding of inclusion. Significant differences were found between candidates from different institutions and from different certification areas. Additional results found interesting contradictions between reported attitudes toward inclusion and pervasive notions of a deficit model of inclusion. Finally, this work conducted statistical analysis on items derived from the Index for Inclusion, demonstrating a different… [Direct]

Cochrane, Kaley (2016). Inclusive Education: The Least Dangerous Assumption. BU Journal of Graduate Studies in Education, v8 n2 p23-26. Inclusive education is a model of supporting diverse learners and needs in a general education setting. While the philosophy and ideals of inclusion are supported by many governmental and educational stakeholders, the practice of full inclusion is often met with resistance by educators. Research on the academic achievement and adaptive growth for students with special education needs and their typically developing peers proves that inclusive practices offer no harm and, in many cases, offer benefits to all students. This article supports the assumption that inclusive, general education programming can support academic and social development of all learners…. [PDF]

Sturman, Andrew (1985). Immigrant Australians and Education. A Review of Research. Australian Education Review Number 22. This review examines whether immigrant Australians are disadvantaged educationally or vocationally by the education they receive, and whether their educational experiences are of a high quality and relevant to their needs. First, data is provided on the patterns of post-war immigration, along with information about the changing attitudes of Australian society toward immigrants. Then, a concept of educational disadvantage is presented, which incorporates elements regarding equality, equity, and cultural diversity. The aspirations and attitudes of immigrant Australians toward their schooling experiences are described; in general, immigrants' aspirations are high and their attitudes positive toward the schools in relation to native Australians. Examined next are teacher expectations and perceptions, the classroom interaction process, schools' ethnic policies, and schools' roles within the social structure might affect immigrants and contribute to social class inequalities. Two aspects… [PDF]

Baldus, Lorayne (1995). Wisconsin Technical College System Board Equity Staff Development Workshops and Services–Phase IV. Final Report. A staff development program on gender equity was conducted for personnel in Wisconsin's technical colleges using the train-the-trainer method. The training took two approaches: a class for college personnel and career challenge training for project directors of single parent and displaced homemaker grants. The inservice class resulted in increased sensitivity to diversity and raised awareness of staff responsibility for an equitable environment. The model used mentoring, peer coaching, and classroom observation to develop strategies that create a supportive, more equitable learning environment for all students. Participants included 166 people involved in research to improve interaction within the technical colleges. Career challenge facilitators work with single parents and displaced homemakers to help them develop appropriate skills to enter and complete nontraditional courses leading to higher wage occupations. The 1-week course for these trainers consisted of problem solving,… [PDF]

Schiefelbein, Ernesto (1983). Educational Financing in Developing Countries: Research Findings and Contemporary Issues. This study focuses on contemporary issues of educational financing in developing countries and on available research findings as these relate, or can be related, to these issues. The first two chapters are analytical, examining common educational finance issues and testing the conventional wisdom of certain usual proposals. Chapter 1, \Issues in Educational Financing,\ gives an overview of the explosive demand for education in developing countries, the growing concern for performance, the growth of government activity in education, and the use of financial mechanisms as policy instruments. Chapter 2 analyzes how reality impinges on proposals such as equalization through taxes, free education benefits for the poor (or rich), and financing for efficiency, equity, or diversity. The remaining three chapters summarize available research findings on educational financing to determine existing gaps. Chapter 3, \Identifying Available Research,\ provides operational definitions of key terms…

Berger, Joseph B.; Coelen, Stephen P.; Crosson, Patricia H. (2001). Diversity among Equals: Educational Opportunity and the State of Affirmative Admissions in New England. Charting Educational Pathways. This report reviews the practice of Affirmative Admissions as a strategy for achieving diversity within New England colleges and universities. It shows how educational leaders perceive Affirmative Admissions, the nature of regional Affirmative Admissions policies, and the numbers of student affected by current enrollment strategies. This report is part of a larger series on educational access and opportunity in New England. Research was organized into five components: (1) analysis of pertinent legal issues related to postsecondary access and equity; (2) interviews with postsecondary campus and state leaders (n=104); (3) interviews with K-12 leaders and educators at state, district, and school levels (n=45); (4) a survey of 221 postsecondary education institutions in New England; and (5) econometric analyses of student data. The focus was on groups of institutions, 18 groups clustered by admissions policies and restrictions. The most compelling conclusion is that there is no… [PDF]

Anderson, John O., Ed.; Gibbons, Sandra L., Ed. (1999). Connections '98. Proceedings of a Faculty Conference (4th, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, May 1998). This proceedings contains 13 papers from the 1998 annual Faculty of Education conference at the University of Victoria, British Columbia (Canada). The papers are: (1) "Struggling with Re-Presentation, Voice, and Self in Narrative Research" (Marla Arvay); (2) "Women's Soccer in Canada: A Slow Road to Equity" (Meredith Bogle, Bruce Howe); (3) "Friendship: An Epistemological Frame for Narrative Inquiry" (Wendy Donawa); (4) "Human Diversity: Concepts and the Research Direction" (Lily Dyson, Lori McLeod, Leif Rasmussen); (5) "Pen Pals and the Writing Process: A Constructivist Exchange Writing about Writing" (Nancy L. Evans); (6) "Gender as a Moderator of the Relationship between Social Support and Adaptation among Asian International Students" (Janine J. Fernandes); (7) "A Biographical Exploration of School and Community" (Carol Harris); (8) "Teacher-Centered Projects: Confidence, Risk Taking and Flexible Thinking… [PDF]

Adams, J. Q., Ed.; Welsch, Janice R., Ed. (1993). Multicultural Education: Strategies for Implementation in Colleges and Universities. Volume 3. This book provides pragmatic ideas and analyses from contributors with multicultural backgrounds and educational experiences, on how to implement multicultural education in college and university courses of study; and presents strategies for transforming both the curricula and the training of effective multicultural educators. Section 1 offer insights from their classroom experience and research in instructional strategies. The essays in Section 2 affirm how far-reaching and multifaceted multicultural education is, from how many perspectives it can be studied, and on how many levels it impacts curriculum. Section 3 contains papers that examine the creation of the climate for change. Chapters and their authors are the following: "Using Humor to Promote Multicultural Understanding" (Samuel Betances); "The Point of the Story" (Joan Livingston-Webber); "Teaching Education Majors How to Foster Resiliency in Their Students" (Kimberly A. Gordon);… [PDF]

Brush, Stephen B., Ed.; Stabinsky, Doreen, Ed. (1996). Valuing Local Knowledge: Indigenous People and Intellectual Property Rights. Intellectual property enables individuals to gain financially from sharing unique and useful knowledge. Compensating indigenous people for sharing their knowledge and resources might both validate and be an equitable reward for indigenous knowledge of biological resources, and might promote the conservation of those resources. This book contains 15 chapters that address the complexities and ambiguities of this issue, including the group rights of indigenous peoples, the notion of a "common heritage" and who might profit from it, and implications for researchers. Chapters are (1) "Whose Knowledge, Whose Genes, Whose Rights?" (Stephen B. Brush); (2) "Tribal Rights" (Thomas Greaves); (3) "Center, Periphery, and Biodiversity: A Paradox of Governance and a Developmental Challenge" (Michael R. Dove); (4) "Telling Stories about Biological Diversity" (Charles Zerner); (5) "Sketches, Qualms, and Other Thoughts on Intellectual Property…

Villa, Richard A.; And Others (1992). Restructuring for Caring and Effective Education: An Administrative Guide to Creating Heterogeneous Schools. This collection of papers offers advice on restructuring education to create heterogeneous schools, with the goal of creating happy, comfortable, and successful learning environments for all the children and adults who learn and teach in them. Section I, titled \A Rationale for Restructuring and the Change Process,\ contains the following papers: \On Swamps, Bogs, Alligators, and Special Educational Reform\ (James H. Block and Thomas G. Haring); \The Need To Belong: Rediscovering Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs\ (Norman Kunc); \Creating Caring School and Classroom Communities for All Students\ (Daniel Solomon and others); \The Quality School\ (William Glasser); \Collaborative Teams: A Powerful Tool in School Restructuring\ (Jacqueline S. Thousand and Richard A. Villa); and\Restructuring Public School Systems: Strategies for Organizational Change and Progress\ (Richard A. Villa and Jacqueline S. Thousand). Section II, titled \Heterogeneous Schooling at Work,\ includes: \The Franklin…

(1995). Families and Education. Occasional Papers Series, No. 18, 1995. This document examines the diversity of family form and function throughout the world and argues that education, social network, and intelligent government policies can enhance families' capacities for long-term commitment to children and to community renewal. Chapter 1 provides an overview of families throughout the world, survival and industrial models of functioning, and their need, in the face of difficulties, for education and support in rearing their children. Chapter 2 describes problems of education in the developing and developed worlds and the promise that a new vision of basic education would make education more relevant to people's concerns and provide lifelong opportunities to learn basic skills and competencies, including family education. Formal education is advocated to improve family well-being through education of girls and the promotion of universal ideas favorable toward children and women. Chapter 3 defines family education as it is applied in the developing and… [PDF]

Cheek, Dennis W., Ed.; Cheek, Kim A., Ed. (1994). Proceedings of the National Technological Literacy Conference (9th, Arlington, Virginia, January 21-23, 1994). Twenty-six papers illustrate the wide reach of Science, Technology, and Society (STS) studies and education. A sampling of the first section on general STS studies includes: (1) "Technology, You, and the Law" (Kenneth S. Volk); (2) "The People From 'Away': Ending Racial and Economic Exploitation in the Siting of Toxic Wastes" (Glen J. Ernst); (3) "Constructing Space: The Shaping and Uses of the NASA-CIRSSE Two-arm Robotic Tested" (Jeffrey L. Newcomer); (4) "Irradiation of Food" (Martin L. Sage); (5) "Biotech or Biowreck? The Implications of 'Jurassic Park' and Genetic Engineering" (Sharon L. Chapin; Leslie D. Chapin); and (6) "Overcoming Computer Anxiety in Adult Learners" (Mick Lantis; Marilyn Sulewski). A sampling of the second section on energy themes includes: "Incorporating Environmental Externalities into Electricity Markets" (Steven E. Letendre); and "Equity Concerns in U.S. Nuclear Energy… [PDF]

(2002). Racism's Frontier: The Untold Story of Discrimination and Division in Alaska. In response to an incident in which white teenagers shot Alaska Natives with frozen paintballs, the Alaska State Advisory Committee (SAC) to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights hosted a 2-day community forum in Anchorage. The forum solicited input about improving race relations from state, local, and federal officials, representatives of advocacy groups and community organizations, and Alaska residents, and focused on education, employment, and the administration of justice. The SAC also obtained input specifically from Alaska Natives in a day-long session at the annual Conference of the Alaska Federation of Natives. Civil rights issues unique to Alaska include an urban/rural divide, with residents of remote rural villages (predominantly Native Alaskans) often receiving inferior state and federal services, if any at all; rural subsistence lifestyles based on access to natural resources; and local control of natural resources through tribal self-governance. A chapter on educational… [PDF]

Zamanou, Sonia (1993). Differences Do Make a Difference: Recruitment Strategies for the Non-Traditional Student. Many colleges and universities lack a comprehensive, fully integrated marketing plan to combat high attrition rates in programs offered to non-traditional students. A clear understanding of the needs of the marketplace is crucial to an effective marketing program. Research suggests that life transitions are what motivate adults to pursue education, that some non-traditional students report holding false expectations about college, and that non-traditional students decide to return to college and decide on a particular college at the same time. Barriers to success of nontraditional students include: sex and age quotas; financial aid practices; regulations; deficiencies in curriculum planning; and faculty and staff attitudes. Direct, specific recruitment seems to meet the needs of a population in search of retraining and may help universities face the realities of a stable or decreasing traditional population pool. Institutions can be placed in one of three stages: (1) laissez-faire… [PDF]

Wells, Amy Stuart, Ed. (2002). Where Charter School Policy Fails: The Problems of Accountability and Equity. Sociology of Education Series. This collection of papers suggests that the laissez-faire policies of charter school reform often exacerbate existing inequalities in U.S. schools. It is based on a study of 10 urban, suburban, and rural school districts and 17 diverse charter schools in California, focusing on accountability and equity to explore how charter school policies affect the lives of children, educators, and parents in diverse social, economic, and political contexts. Seven papers discuss: (1) "Why Public Policy Fails to Live Up to the Potential of Charter School Reform: An Introduction" (Amy Stuart Wells); (2) "The Politics of Accountability: California School Districts and Charter School Reform" (Amy Stuart Wells, Ash Vasudeva, Jennifer Jellison Holme, and Camille Wilson Cooper); (3) "Reinventing Government: What Urban School Districts Can Learn from Charter Schools" (Sibyll Carnochan); (4) "Public Funds for California Charter Schools: Where Local Context and Savvy…

(1990). Good Education in Oakland: Strategies for Positive Change. Report Summary. This summary of a report on strategies to improve education in Oakland (California) emphasizes that there is no magic solution to school reform and encourages ongoing community participation. The goal of school reform is a learning environment that enables all students to be competent, confident, conscious, and caring individuals and holds the school accountable for the delivery of equal education. The following conditions are essential: (1) effective school leadership; (2) rigorous, challenging curriculum and instruction; (3) effective staff; (4) parents as partners; (5) safety and security; and (6) outstanding district leadership. The following problems must be overcome: (1) low expectations of students; (2) inadequate funding; and (3) poor teacher preparation that leaves teachers unable to deal with diversity. The following change strategies are outlined: (1) build a system of staff renewal as the centerpiece for positive change; (2) construct a system of accountability for…

Dey, Ian; Jentsch, Birgit (2000). Rural Youth: The Policy Agenda. With the advent of a Scottish Parliament and a Minister and Parliamentary Committee for Rural Affairs, there is now a broad consensus that policies are needed to generate "quality jobs" for young people in rural Scotland. This agenda is politically appealing, since it addresses various rural problems, including retention of young people in rural areas and the viability of rural communities. However, proposed policies to promote "quality jobs" have several difficulties. Such proposals conflate separate issues into a single agenda, identifying young people's problems with those of rural communities and ignoring the complexities and intractability of the problems they claim to address. Young people may be better served by provision of educational and employment opportunities in urban areas, while policies to improve the economic and social life of rural areas might be better directed at attracting newcomers than at trying to halt youth outmigration. Proposals to… [PDF]

Adams, Gayle M.; And Others (1988). A View from the Inside: School Building Leadership and Management. Report of the Select Seminar on School Building Leadership and Management (Rensselaerville, New York, September 27-30, 1987). The goal of the seminar reported in this document was to consider the site leadership and management issue as it relates to professionals' changing roles and influences educational equity and excellence. The seminar attempted to bring sensitive reform movement issues back to those most affected by their implications. An important seminar element was the development of leadership models to be later implemented at various states throughout New York State. Each of six Principal Centers, New York University, and the New York City Board of Education will then coordinate, support, and provide technical assistance to school buildings and professional groups involved in the ongoing Leadership in Educational Administration Development Program (LEAD). This report consists chiefly of five presentations from mixed groups of administrators and teachers that express participants' thoughts and experiences. These presentations were the result of long hours of intense, often heated discussion, out… [PDF]

Raizen, Senta A.; And Others (1972). Research and Development in Education: Analysis and Program Development. This report examines in detail the major goals of the National Institute of Education (NIE); i.e., improving (1) the quality of education, (2) education for the disadvantaged, and (3) resource use in education. It first examines the domain of education in the United States, considering the objectives of education and the role of the formal educational system in its relation to all the societal sources of education. Brief presentations are made of the evidence in the most serious areas of failure to meet educational goals. NIE subgoals to help improve the quality of education — providing a rigorous intellectual challenge, expanding opportunities for students to experience effectual action, reintegrating schooling and "real life", fostering educational diversity, and encouraging articulation of the goals and process of education — are then defined and examined. Examined next are NIE subgoals for acquiring more authentic knowledge of the poor child; adapting educational… [PDF]

Koretz, Daniel M.; And Others (1992). National Educational Standards and Testing: A Response to the Recommendations of the National Council on Education Standards and Testing. Congressional Testimony. In January 1992, the National Council on Education Standards and Testing (NCEST) issued a report "Raising Standards for American Education," which called for the establishment of a national system of educational standards and assessments as a basis for comprehensive reform of U.S. education. This statement is a facsimile of the written testimony that was submitted to the House of Representatives subcommittee. The statement is presented as it appears in the Congressional record, with a preface and references added. It is contended that although the NCEST recommendations appear to be a matter of common sense, they are unlikely to work and may have serious side effects. The recommendations do not adequately address issues of feasibility, fairness, validity, and reliability. Although the new standards are expected to be a common core, the NCEST does not explain why the proposed tests will not narrow the curriculum. Proposed innovative assessments have not yet been adequately… [PDF]

Peebles, Lucretia (2000). Charter School Equity Issues: Focus on Minority and At-Risk Students. Policy Brief. This report examines equity issues at charter schools serving predominantly minority or at-risk students. Increasing charter school enrollments of such students indicates the popularity of this choice for disadvantaged populations. Overall, charter schools enroll larger percentages of minority students than public schools. Advocates note that charter schools can revitalize deteriorating public schools and provide choice to disadvantaged families. Charter schools are generally smaller, are newly created, have a distinct curricular focus, and offer personalized learning environments. They value teacher empowerment, professional fulfillment, and innovation. Critics claim, however, that students most at risk of academic failure are being placed in untested, unregulated schools and that choice has created more deeply segregated schools than the schools from which students exited. Policymakers must create safeguards regarding charter school curriculum, recruitment, and admissions. Some… [PDF]

Faith Kenny (2019). General Educator Perceptions of School Support in Teaching Students with an IEP. Journal of the American Academy of Special Education Professionals, p141-158 Fall. Historically, researchers have focused on the perceptions of special education teachers regarding inclusion. Research has shown that general education teachers who feel supported by their schools provide better classroom experiences for all students (Hwang and Evans, 2011). This study expanded upon this thinking by asking general educators what they felt were the most beneficial supports in meeting the needs of students with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Results indicated that general education teachers viewed their ability to meet the needs of diverse learners positively. Respondents felt they had a positive relationship with special education teachers, even though little collaborative planning time was given Respondents additionally affirmed that smaller class size, more paraprofessional assistance, and more individual planning time were needed. These findings powerfully suggest that general educators value collaborative and individual planning time to meet the needs of… [PDF]

Spina, Stephanie Urso (1993). Beyond Gender Differences: Traditional and Alternative Cognitive Strategies. This document reports on a study that attempts to move beyond the polarization of labels and move toward a unity that transcends distinctions of gender and gender's embeddedness in the larger culture. While the traditional male model in studies of cognitive approaches has been challenged by feminist scholars, there is still some question of the efficacy of current methodology and terminology in addressing and understanding differences in cognitive styles not necessarily attributable to gender differences. This study extends feminist terminology and perspective to the more inclusive \alternative.\\Alternative\ is intended to include all non-traditional cognitive strategies and to better define them within the limits of language. This exploratory study proposes a more holistic conceptual paradigm that encompasses a variety of learning approaches. These approaches are measured by a dialectic instrument that strives for a more authentic equity in method as well as in interpretation. The… [PDF]

Hoel, James L. (1998). Cross-System Collaboration: Tools That Work. This monograph reports on a collaborative initiative between Four Oaks, a private nonprofit family service agency in Iowa, and the Iowa Department of Human Services. The collaboration provided a series of community forums of local representatives to examine services available to delinquent youth and their families, to increase community awareness and participation, and to develop a "toolbox" of effective principles for collaboration to assist families, agencies, and communities in addressing the challenges of social service system reform. Following an introduction, the monograph describes the context for the project in Iowa, including Iowa's efforts in restructuring, gaining fiscal control of human service expenditures, decategorizing funding streams, and incorporating managed care into public and private agencies. Illustrated with examples from exemplary programs, the principles of effective collaboration are discussed in three parts: (1) structural elements; (2)…

Taylor, William L., Ed.; Yu, Corinne M., Ed. (1999). The Test of Our Progress: The Clinton Record on Civil Rights. Report of the Citizens' Commission on Civil Rights. The first part of this report consists of the findings of the Citizens' Commission on Civil Rights on the record of the Clinton administration on civil rights. Six years into President Clinton's term, he continues to speak with understanding and empathy about the plight of people trapped in racial and ethnic isolation, but his administration has yet to provide clear direction with respect to civil rights. Some recommendations are made for policy to support equal opportunity. These include policies to renew the national commitment to civil rights and to address basic and critical needs such as nutrition, job training, and education. Major efforts are urged to ensure equal education, with re-examination of school segregation and attention to the needs of children of Limited English Proficiency (LEP). The second part of the report contains working papers prepared for this report by leading civil rights and public interest experts. Of the 22 chapters within part 2, there are 5 which… [PDF]

Michael, Christine N.; Young, Nicholas D. (2005). Seeking Meaningful School Reform: Characteristics of Inspired Schools. Online Submission The purpose of this study was two-fold: (1) to gain an understanding of how senior school administrators define inspired public schools; and (2) to discern the characteristics of inspired schools to guide meaningful school improvement efforts. Twenty-nine senior leaders–school superintendents and assistant superintendents–from across New England were randomly surveyed and asked to identify qualities of inspired schools and, to the extent possible, to offer examples for closer examination. Eight schools representing different demographics, levels and district sizes were selected from an equal number of independent public school districts for inclusion in this study. Through in-depth interviews eleven characteristics of inspired schools were identified: (1) attention is invested in the developmental needs of all members of the school community; (2) leadership is embraced at all levels; (3) a relational approach to education is supported; (4) an assets-based approach to student… [PDF]

Mael, Phyllis (1989). Transforming the Curriculum for Equity and Excellence. With the changing demographics in college populations, educators can no longer offer students a curriculum that denies the very existence of women and minorities. Yet this is precisely what occurs in the traditional or womanless curriculum. If one recognizes the limitations of a curriculum that accepts male experience as universal, one is ready to begin curriculum transformation. A questionnaire was sent to all community college humanities departments in an attempt to ascertain what faculty were doing to balance their humanities courses for gender and how they were doing it. Over 250 responses from more than 70 different colleges were received. Based on these responses, the following suggestions are offered to faculty interested in transforming their humanities courses: (1) start wherever colleagues and institutions feel most comfortable (usually this means beginning to incorporate more works by women or material that includes women's experiences); (2) in classes where instructors…

Rhoads, Robert A., Ed.; Shaw, Kathleen M., Ed.; Valadez, James R., Ed. (1999). Community Colleges as Cultural Texts: Qualitative Explorations of Organizational and Student Culture. SUNY Series, Frontiers in Education. This book, part of the Frontiers in Education series from the State University of New York, depicts community colleges as \cultural texts,\ addressing the question of whether, and how, community colleges confront the challenges of diversity and provide equal opportunities for upward mobility. Its ten chapters include: (1) \Community Colleges as Cultural Texts: A Conceptual Overview\ (Kathleen M. Shaw, Robert A. Rhoads, and James R. Valadez); (2) \Cultures of Support for At-Risk Students: The Role of Social and Emotional Capital in the Educational Experiences of Women\ (Dennis McGrath and William Van Buskirk); (3) \The Struggle for Mobility in the Contact Zone of Basic Writing\ (Stanford T. Goto); (4) \Navigating the Raging River: Reconciling Issues of Identity, Inclusion, and Administrative Practice\ (Marilyn J. Amey); (5) \Preparing for Work in a Post-Industrial World: Resistance and Compliance to the Ideological Messages of a Community College\ (James R. Valadez); (6) \The…

Lein, Laura; And Others (1997). Successful Texas Schoolwide Programs: Research Study Results, School Profiles, Voices of Practitioners and Parents [and] Self-Study and Planning Guide [and] Suggestions for Technical Assistance Providers. In 1994-95, a study identified over 50 Texas schools that were heavily impacted by poverty but had high scores on state achievement tests. Specifically, the schools received Title I funds and were implementing Title I schoolwide programs, and at each school, over 60 percent of students met free or reduced-price lunch criteria; at least 70 percent passed the reading section of the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS); and at least 70 percent passed the TAAS math section. Case studies of 26 of these schools found much diversity in instructional programs and approaches. However, seven common areas or themes emerged: (1) focus on the academic success of every student; (2) no excuses; (3) careful experimentation; (4) inclusion of everyone in problem solving; (5) sense of family; (6) collaboration and trust; and (7) passion for learning and growing. Profiles of the 26 schools include a brief description, demographics, awards, TAAS results, and principal and teacher comments….

Kugelmass, Judy W., Ed.; Rainforth, Beverly, Ed. (2003). Curriculum & Instruction for All Learners: Blending Systematic and Constructivist Approaches in Inclusive Elementary Schools. This collection of papers shows how an integrated approach to classroom teaching can support and advance inclusion in elementary schools. There are 10 papers in three sections. Section 1, "Designing Elementary Education for All," includes: (1) "Searching for a Pedagogy of Success" (Judy W. Kugelmass and Beverly Rainforth); (2) "Addressing Issues of Cultural and Linguistic Diversity in the Early Childhood Classroom" (Monica Miller Marsh); and (3) "Project-Based Instruction" (Judy W. Kugelmass). Section 2, "Curriculum and Instruction in Schools for All Children," includes: (4) "Finding the Middle Ground in Literacy Instruction" (Karen Bromley); (5) "Beyond Constructivism and Back to Basics: A Cultural Historical Alternative to the Teaching of the Base Ten Positional System" (Jean Schmitau); (6) "Social History, Technology, and the Building of Inclusive Classroom Communities" (Laura Lamash); and (7)…