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The growth of homeschooling from a somewhat fringe movement during the 1970s and 1980s to a more widespread and socially accepted approach in recent decades has provided a strong foundation of flexible learning models. When Florida's school choice expansion, House Bill 1, was introduced in January 2023, one of its goals was to allow more homeschoolers to participate in the education savings account (ESA) program. But many homeschoolers and homeschool advocacy groups balked at the proposal. Having worked hard to achieve independence, they were loath to be linked to government funding. Even if the program were optional, they feared that associated regulations would eventually extend to traditional homeschoolers. In the end, the bill passed with new language that satisfied traditional homeschoolers by creating a new option for parents to educate their children at home. As states continue to enact and expand education savings accounts, Colleen Hroncich argues that it is crucial that policymakers craft bills in a way that maximizes freedom and minimizes roadblocks.

Anecdotal evidence points to the importance of school principals, but the limited existing research has neither provided consistent results nor indicated any set of essential characteristics of effective principals. This paper exploits extensive student-level panel data across six states to investigate both variations in principal performance and the relationship between effectiveness and key certification factors. While principal effectiveness varies widely across states, there is little indication that regulation of the background and training of principals yields consistently effective performance. Having prior teaching or management experience is not related to our estimates of principal value-added.

There is empirical evidence of substantial heterogeneity in economic mobility across geographic areas and the efficacy of schools has been suggested as an explanatory factor. Using administrative microdata from seven states covering nearly 3 million students, we explore the potential role of schools in promoting economic mobility by estimating cross-district variation in "academic mobility"--a term we use to describe the extent to which students' ranks in the distribution of academic performance change during their schooling careers. We show that there exists considerable heterogeneity in academic mobility across school districts. However, after aggregating our district-level measures of academic mobility to the commuting-zone level and merging them with geographically matched external estimates of economic mobility, we find little scope for geographic differences in academic mobility to meaningfully account for differences in economic mobility.

Educational inequality due to family socioeconomic status (SES) has been the focus of both public dialogue and education research in the United States for many years. The current study aims to understand how educational inequality due to family SES has changed in the United States. Specifically, the study focuses on the changes in achievement gaps between high and low SES students between 2003 and 2017 and the changes in the performance of low-SES students over time. Data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) grade 8 mathematics assessment were used for the analyses. Results show that the SES achievement gap at the national level has remained the same over time. State-level results suggest that 34 of the 50 states' SES achievement gaps experienced no significant change between 2003 and 2017, 14 gaps widened, and only two SES gaps narrowed. In addition, at the national level, more low-SES students achieved at the NAEP Basic and at the NAEP Proficient levels over time with a majority of states improving their low-SES students' performance. In conclusion, the study contributes to the existing literature not only by reflecting on U.S. national trends using an effective SES index, but also by providing state-level results. It also collects trend data on states' macro-level indicators, including economic growth, social inequality, and educational expenditures, allowing state-specific findings to be presented in the context of changes in macro-level context. Initial explorations of relationships between state SES achievement gap trends and macroeconomic factors are presented to motivate future research. The trends in SES achievement gaps and the specific policy contexts are presented in greater detail for 13 states/jurisdictions.

College students who are parents or caregivers of dependent children make up more than one in five U.S. undergraduates. Colleges need basic information about the experiences and outcomes of the student parents they serve, since these students face distinct challenges, including high rates of economic insecurity and significant time and caregiving demands that can affect their educational outcomes (Institute for Women's Policy Research and Ascend at the Aspen Institute 2019). This briefing paper discusses why data on student parents are critical to increasing equity in college outcomes, and reviews existing and potential new data sources on undergraduate college students with children. It also provides recommendations for improving data collection efforts around parent status, including examples of how these data can be collected by institutions of higher education.

This white paper provides a snapshot of available policies and guidance related to online learning and students with disabilities from a small group of states that require online experience as part of high school graduation or report a higher number of online course enrollments. The Appendix allows for a quick scan of the following 12 elements that would be of interest to stakeholders and policymakers: terms, definitions, online learning options, enrollment estimates, approved providers of online learning, eligibility for participation/enrollment, high school graduation requirement, data collection or reporting requirements, eligibility to participate, online learning as high school graduation requirement, provision of special education and related services/implementation of IEP or 504 plan, and data collection or reporting requirements specific to students with disabilities. The following is appended: Selected State Policy on Online Learning and Students with Disabilities.

A number of English language proficiency exams target grades K-12 English language learners (ELLs) because of the rising need to identify their needs and provide appropriate support in language learning. A good example is the WIDA ACCESS for ELLs (hereafter ACCESS), designed to measure the English language proficiency of students identified as ELLs. Every year approximately two million K-12 ELLs in the WIDA Consortium take ACCESS. After students complete the exam, score reports are provided to relevant stakeholders, including teachers and parents of the students. Because score reports are widely used by stakeholders for many purposes (e.g., placement, reclassification of ELLs), it is necessary to understand how they are interpreted and used in educational and home settings. Such information could be used to understand the usefulness of score reports and also to enhance their quality. However, there is little research on stakeholders' interpretation and use of score reports, especially in the context of K-12 ELL exams in the Unites States. Existing research is limited to teachers' interpretation of score reports (Impara, Divine, Bruce, Liverman, & Gay, 1991; Luecht, 2003; Underwood, Zapata-Rivera, & VanWinkle, 2007). For example, Impara et al. (1991) investigated the extent to which teachers were able to interpret student-level results on a standardized state assessment and the extent to which interpretive information provided on the reverse side of the student score report improved teacher understanding. Findings suggest that interpretive material helped facilitate teachers' understanding of student scores on the assessment. However, few studies have examined how stakeholders actually use the interpreted information. Moreover, very few (Miller & Watkins, 2010) have examined score reports from the parents' perspective. To gain a deeper understanding of the meaningfulness and utility of score reports, it is necessary to examine both educators' and parents' perspectives. The study on which this paper is based investigated how two stakeholder groups--K-12 ELL educators and parents--interpret and use ACCESS score reports. Findings from qualitative interviews offer implications for score report development in general and how to further enhance the quality of ACCESS score reports. In the study, the authors addressed the following research questions: (1) How do K-12 ELL educators and parents interpret the information in an English proficiency exam score report?; and (2) How do K-12 ELL educators and parents use the information in an English proficiency exam score report?

In 2012, five foundations launched the Credit When Its Due (CWID) initiative that was "designed to encourage partnerships of community colleges and universities to significantly expand programs that award associate degrees to transfer students when the student completes the requirements for the associate degree while pursuing a bachelor's degree" (Lumina Foundation, 2012, n.p.), also known as "reverse transfer." Initially, 12 states (Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, and Oregon) were funded to develop and implement these reverse transfer programs and policies, and the Office of Community College Research and Leadership (OCCRL) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign was chosen as the research partner. In late 2013, three states (Georgia, Tennessee, and Texas) were added to bring the total number of states to 15. At least six additional states have legislation, pending legislation, or statewide initiatives related to reverse transfer. This thought paper describes changes that are occurring at the state, system, and institution levels with implementation of reverse transfer in the 12 original states. Using qualitative and quantitative data collected from the CWID Implementation Study, the authors describe efforts related to the optimization of reverse transfer in these 12 states. The authors define optimization as policy and program change at any level--state, system, or institution--that yields the largest number of students who are eligible for and able to benefit from reverse transfer. The initial results suggest that some states are piloting reverse transfer with a limited set of public community college and university partnerships, and others are striving for system-level reforms that eventually may impact all forms of transfer. Understanding what optimization means and how it works is possible because of this variation in implementation approaches among states, and this thought paper explores how states are implementing and optimizing reverse transfer.

This paper explores the range of ways in which school districts are using Title I funds for early education through kindergarten and examines how the implementation of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) has impacted those investments. It also makes recommendations for local education agencies (LEAs) interested in creating Title I-funded early education programs or thinking about how to sustain such investments in the face of policy and funding challenges. The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) spent more than two years examining strategies to encourage and sustain Title I investments in high-quality early education programs in local communities. Building on research and analysis in "Missed Opportunities? The Possibilities and Challenges of Funding High-Quality Preschool through Title I of the No Child Left Behind Act", the Center conducted Web-based research to identify promising models, review local policies and documents, and find local policymakers to interview. Staff also used ongoing conversations with early education administrators to identify more than 100 schools and districts with some history of using Title I for early education programs. CLASP conducted interviews with more than 30 states and districts, including districts with increasing Title I allocations and others with decreasing allocations, and districts in states with a history of investments in pre-kindergarten and others in states without such a history, using a survey protocol developed to understand how schools and districts are using Title I for early education, the history of these investments, and the barriers and flexibility in the law. CLASP interviewed state and local Title I directors, early childhood directors, and district superintendents and, where possible, collected financial information on Title I early education investments. This paper discusses: (1) Federal and state funding for early education; (2) Opportunity of Title I funding for early education; (3) Story behind Title I investments in early education, through illustrations of a range of models from school districts; (4) How NCLB is impacting Title I investments in early education; and (5) Recommendations for LEAs. The report concludes that using Title I funds for early education is not a new idea: many schools and districts have been using these funds to invest in young children for decades. Although accountability requirements of NCLB have created new challenges to sustaining or expanding those investments, NCLB also offers an opportunity and an incentive to support the nation's youngest students. Many LEAs are committed to supporting early education, and several openings and strategies exist that may enable LEAs to take advantage of the flexibility of Title I funds to use them to support early education and to support broad educational goals. There is, however, emerging evidence that the requirements of NCLB and the limited funding available are putting district policymakers in the difficult position of defunding successful early childhood programs. In addition to actions that LEAs can take, the report advocates that there are also ways in which NCLB could be improved to support high-quality early education. CLASP has issued a set of federal recommendations for reauthorization of NCLB. They include: (1) Improved data collection; (2) Enhanced language on transitions between community-based early childhood programs and local schools; (3) Sustaining and supporting local flexibility in use of funds for discretionary purposes; (4) Ensuring that joint professional development opportunities are available to build knowledge of child development and appropriate practices with English language learners (ELLs); (5) Encouraging state education agencies (SEAs) to use set-aside funds to promote and support early childhood programs at the local level; and (6) Increased funding. A long-term strategy to successfully create and sustain sound investments in young children will take efforts and strong leadership at all levels. (Contains 88 endnotes.) [For "Missed Opportunities? The Possibilities and Challenges of Funding High-Quality Preschool through Title I of the No Child Left Behind Act", see ED484650.]

Building a stronger teacher workforce requires the thoughtful orchestration of multiple processes working together in a human capital system. This white paper presents a framework that can be used to take stock of current efforts to enhance the teacher workforce in school districts or educational organizations, as well as their underlying theories of how the teacher workforce improves over time. The paper refines and provides evidentiary support for a human capital system framework composed of four subsystems that ideally work together to build a stronger teacher workforce: (1) getting the right teachers in the right positions on time (Acquire); (2) supporting professional growth in school-based learning communities (Develop); (3) nurturing, rewarding, and challenging high-performing teachers (Sustain); and (4) informing evidence-based personnel decisions (Evaluate). Attention to this framework will engender a corps of teachers with the capacity and expertise to collectively facilitate enhanced educational outcomes.

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are viewed as fundamental elements in the preparation of our next generation. This is evidenced by President Obama's goal of "moving our nation from the middle to the top of the pack in math and science education" and his focus on (a) hiring additional STEM teachers; (b) enhancing STEM literacy so students can think critically in key subjects; (c) improving the quality of instruction to help U.S. students perform competitively with those in other nations; and (d) expanding STEM education and career opportunities for women, minorities, and other underrepresented groups (The White House, 2010). To begin laying this foundation for students as they compete in the 21st century economy, educators and decision makers must continue to increase their understanding of various STEM education opportunities. They must also realize the need to establish support systems for diverse learners as they relate to STEM education, while at the same time recognize the economic impact of not moving in this direction. However, before this journey can begin, a deeper understanding of STEM and a workable definition must be established. The components of STEM are discussed in this brief following descriptions of the procedure by which resources were selected for this paper and the limitations of this paper. Summaries of STEM education initiatives for the states of Georgia, South Carolina, and Texas as well as contact information for individuals in the state departments of education that may provide additional information is included.

Multiple ways of assessing teaching effectiveness are being implemented by many states. Student survey instruments can provide valuable insight into the teaching and learning environment of a classroom. Students have the "deepest, broadest, and most veridical perception of their teacher." Thus, student survey instruments can be a valuable component when designing a 21st century comprehensive teacher evaluation system. Key points of this briefing paper include the following: (1) Student ratings are more highly correlated with student achievement than principal ratings and teacher self-ratings; (2) Students can discriminate between effective and ineffective teaching behaviors; and (3) Construction, content, and administration of student rating instruments are key to reliability and validity. The goal of this briefing paper is to provide decision makers and stakeholders with information on the use of student perception surveys in teacher evaluation systems. State highlights, and additional resources are provided.

During the late 1990s, the convergence of women's labor force participation rates to men's rates came to a halt. This paper explores the degree to which the role of education and marriage in women's labor supply decisions also changed over this time period. Specifically, this paper investigates women's decisions to exit the labor market upon the birth of a child. The results indicate that changing exit behavior among married, educated women at this period in their lives was not likely the driving force behind the aggregate changes seen in labor force participation. Rather, changes in exit rates among single women, particularly those less educated, are much more consistent with the changing pattern of aggregate female labor force participation. Complete Estimation Results is appended. (Contains 6 footnotes, 5 figures and 1 table.)

The education field must go beyond calling attention to an adolescent literacy crisis and the need for additional resources--a critical need--to treating adolescent literacy as the foundation for more ambitious efforts to improve middle and high schools in their entirety (Heller & Greenleaf, 2007; Jacob, 2008). Instruction around adolescent literacy, or content-area literacy, is fundamental to building the kind of secondary schools that are necessary to support the nation's social and economic health. The challenge is to connect the teaching of literacy to the rest of the secondary education improvement agenda. This article is about a literature search that focused on studies on secondary content-area literacy that were published within the last 10 years. However, when reference lists were reviewed, staff found that some older research provided key information on the topic. Therefore, these seminal publications were included in the resources used to develop this paper.

It is difficult for secondary-level ELs to achieve academic success comparable to their non-EL peers because of linguistic challenges specific to secondary-level core-content areas, in addition to barriers faced by ELs in general. Some promising strategies for use in mathematics, science, and social studies are reported. Key points of this briefing paper include the following: (1) ELs in secondary schools face challenges different from those in elementary schools; (2) Explicit teaching of cognitive strategies has shown benefits for secondary ELs; and (3) Teachers need to use multiple ways of presenting information to support learning for secondary ELs.

Preparing future citizens for postsecondary education and careers that span a continuum of sophistication is not a new topic in education. However, the rapid changes in technology and increased competition from industrialized nations have changed the landscape and meaning of college and career readiness. As part of a strategy to better prepare students, since 2005, 31 states have implemented college- and career-readiness standards (CCRS), with 20 states also requiring that students complete high school graduation requirements that will make them college and career ready (Howard & Madison-Harris, 2011). This briefing paper provides details on the meaning of college- and career-readiness standards, effective implementation of these standards, next steps in the implementation process, and progress being made by state departments of education (SDEs) in the southeast region toward this crucial objective.

Effectively meeting the needs of an increasingly diverse population of students presents challenges for educators across the United States, including the Texas and Southeast Comprehensive Center regions. Increasingly rigorous achievement expectations must be supported with flexible, accessible curricula, offering multiple pathways to success in order to secure opportunities for all children. Key points of this briefing paper include the following: (1) Multi-tier systems of support offer a research-based approach to addressing the myriad needs of youth struggling with school success; and (2) Application of the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) can make curriculum and instruction both accessible and engaging for all learners, resulting in increased opportunities for learning success. The success of any public education reform effort will be tied, at least in part, to the ability to address appropriately the academic and social-behavior needs of diverse learners. By redefining the focus from one of "fixing students" to one of providing high-quality education that is responsive to individual needs (Riele, p. 141) the system will invariably improve experiences and outcomes for all students.

It is clear that families and communities play key roles in student achievement and school improvement efforts. Across the nation, states are leading initiatives to improve communication and engagement with these stakeholders through effective data sharing. Key points highlighted in this brief include: (1) Maintaining close ties with family and community is recognized as one of five critical supports for school improvement (Bryk, 2010); (2) Data sharing can help parents and families understand how their children are performing and where gaps exist in student achievement as well as guide them in taking appropriate action to support academic success (The Education Trust, 2004); and (3) Decision makers should consider taking steps to understand the needs, wants, barriers, and motivations of stakeholders; develop community or family action plans; create materials that are customized for recipients; and incorporate social marketing concepts into data dissemination practices (National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities, 2011; National Center for the Dissemination of Disability Research, 2001; Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2009). A list of resources is provided.

At open-access two-year public colleges, the goal of the traditional assessment and placement process is to match incoming students to the developmental or college-level courses for which they have adequate preparation; the process presumably increases underprepared students' chances of short- and long-term success in college while maintaining the academic quality and rigor of college-level courses. However, the traditional process may be limited in its ability to achieve these aims due to poor course placement accuracy and inconsistent standards of college readiness. To understand current approaches that seek to improve the process, we conducted a scan of assessment and placement policies and practices at open-access two-year colleges in Georgia, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin. We describe the variety of approaches that systems and colleges employed to ameliorate poor course placement accuracy and inconsistent standards associated with the traditional process. Taking a broad view of the extent of these approaches, we find that most colleges we studied adopted a "measured" approach that addressed a single limitation without attending to other limitations that contribute to the same overall problem of poor course placement accuracy or inconsistent standards. Much less common were "comprehensive" approaches that attended to multiple limitations of the process; these approaches were likely to result from changes to developmental education as a whole. Drawing from the study's findings, we also discuss how colleges can overcome barriers to reform in order to implement approaches that hold promise for improved course placement accuracy, more consistent standards of college readiness, and, potentially, greater long-term academic success of community college students. Data Collection Process is appended. (Contains 3 tables and 3 footnotes.)

Since the early nineties, a dozen states have established broad-based merit aid programs. The typical program waives tuition and fees at public colleges and universities in one's home state. Unlike traditional merit programs, such as the National Merit Scholarship, this aid requires relatively modest academic performance and provides scholarships to hundreds of thousands of students. This paper examines how merit aid programs in seven states have affected an array of schooling decisions, paying particular attention to how the effects have varied by race and ethnicity. It finds that the new programs typically increase the attendance probability of college-age youth by five to seven percentage points. The merit programs also shift students toward four-year schools and away from two-year schools. The Georgia HOPE Scholarship, which has been found to widen racial gaps in college attendance is atypical in its distributional impact, with the other states' programs tending to have a more positive effect on the college attendance rate of Blacks and Hispanics. The paper attributes HOPE's unique distributional effect to its relatively stringent academic requirements and a recently-eliminated provision that channeled the most generous scholarships to higher-income students. (Contains 29 references.) (SM)

This paper applies a standard treatment effects model to determine that participation in Freshman Learning Communities (FLCs) improves academic performance and retention. Not controlling for individual self-selection into FLC participation leads one to incorrectly conclude that the impact is the same across race and gender groups. Accurately assessing the impact of any educational program is essential in determining what resources institutions should devote to it. Reduced form OLS estimation for Earned Hours, Full Sample, is appended. (Contains 18 footnotes and 5 tables.)

This report was conceptualized as a document to offer perspective on mathematics and science reform in the Southeast. The intent was to provide a panoramic view of K-12 mathematics and science education reform in each SERVE state (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina) and, ultimately, a synthesis of mathematics and science reform in the Southeast region. It begins with an overview of mathematics and science education reform at the national level, including a section on the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, which will most certainly have an enormous impact on mathematics and science education across the country. The story of the Southeast's mathematics and science reform journey from the 1990s to the present. The paper highlights trends across the region in terms of standards and accountability, student achievement, teacher development, and programs supporting reform. Appendix A provides greater detail about reform initiatives for each of the individual SERVE states. Appendix B includes charts and detailed data from the National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP) for the six states. Appendix C lists the Southeast Eisenhower Regional Consortium @ SERVE's Regional Coordinating Board members. (Contains 10 tables and 11 figures.) [This report was produced by the Southeast Eisenhower Regional Consortium for Mathematics and Science Education at SERVE.]

This paper is a report of a study that investigated whether increased private-school competition results in enhanced performance of public schools. Data for the study came from a pooled data set from Georgia Department of Education documents and directories, which included socioeconomic data on students and test scores from Georgia school systems between 1980 and 1990 for 3rd-grade and 10th-grade reading and math tests. The data allowed researchers to address directly the problem of endogeneity. Following an introduction, the report presents a framework of how private competition can affect public-school performance and investigates the conditions for a beneficial competitive effect. The next section explains the empirical models and details the data used in the analysis. The next section presents the empirical results. The empirical results do not lend support to the hypothesis that private-school competition improves public-school performance, as measured by student-exam results. Supplementing the text are five tables that detail test scores and socioeconomic data. (Contains 23 references.) (WFA)

The purpose of this study was to explore the ways in which social, political, and economic factors impact the teaching and learning of mathematics in a small rural school in Georgia. Focusing on a charter school that seeks to educate approximately 275 pre-K through 12th grade students, the study was intended to give voice to the residents of the county, with an emphasis on those who are most closely associated with the school: students, parents, teachers, and administrators. Additionally, county officials, employers, and other members of the community shared their thoughts about the school and the ways in which students are being prepared for the future. The data suggest that small rural communities can establish and maintain effective and, by most definitions, successful schools. (Contains 6 footnotes.)

In 1995, Georgia became the first U.S. state to provide universal prekindergarten to 4 year olds. Although the lottery-funded program has received more attention from policymakers than any other program, there has been no systematic effort to chronicle the program's evolution or to draw lessons from its experience. This report illustrates the complex and often unpredictable processes involved in translating ideas into public policy and identifies lessons relevant to other state early education initiatives. Following an executive summary and chronology of program development, the report covers the following topics: (1) Lieutenant Governor Zell Miller's plan to fund a prekindergarten program for low-income 4 year olds with lottery funds; (2) designing and implementing the prekindergarten initiative; (3) resolving tensions with Head Start programs and integrating for-profit child care providers; (4) expanding the program to cover all 4 year olds; (5) political controversies and the creation of an Office of School Readiness; (6) shifts in the program; (7) program evaluation results; and (8) the program's future. Lessons for other states are discussed in the following areas: (1) tradeoffs in offering prekindergarten services to all families; (2) state lotteries as a funding mechanism; (3) the need for powerful, consistent leadership; (4) understanding and protecting the fragile ecology of early childhood programs; (5) challenges in integrating private providers; (6) the complexity of dynamics among federal, state, and local government; (7) the need for constant attention to program quality; and (8) challenges in creating a prekindergarten infrastructure. The report's three appendices include information on approved prekindergarten curriculum models and funding levels. (Contains 68 references.) (KB)

This document contains findings of a survey that examined the opinions of Georgia citizens on their state's public education system. Data collection, based on The Harwood Group Policy Dialogues approach to public issues research, included: (1) discussions with four focus groups of approximately 12 participants each; (2) a statewide telephone survey of 500 Georgians; and (3) a full-day discussion session with 2 panels of 16 citizens. Findings indicate that improving public education is a top priority for most Georgians. Section 1 presents seven key principles for building sustainable change: (1) acknowledge citizen concerns; (2) build on the common ground that already exists; (3) set realistic expectations; (4) start small; (5) show progress; (6) find ways for everyone to act; and (7) engage people. The second section highlights people's baseline concerns about education--they want more accountability, safe and caring schools, better communications with schools, schools that emphasize learning, and a common-sense approach to improving schools. Section 3 describes participants' attitudes toward the following: order in the schools, parental and community involvement, teacher training, technology in the schools, and school administration. The appendix describes the research methodology and lists eight principles of conducting a successful policy dialogue. (LMI)

In recent years, an emphasis has been placed on making the transfer process more effective and ensuring that all students are able to complete a Bachelor's degree. The Transfer Education Commission of the National Center for Academic Achievement and Transfer (NCAAT), for example, has issued an agenda that identifies academic practices and policy decisions that should be addressed in articulation efforts between two and four-year institutions to improve transfer success. The NCAAT agenda consists of the following nine key points: (1) establish a firm institutional commitment to transfer; (2) enrich the connection between teaching and transfer; (3) revitalize academic relationships between institutions; (4) manage transfer more effectively; (5) identify and realize transfer goals; (6) inform students fully; (7) issue a clear public call for improved transfer; (8) acknowledge the importance of financial support; and (9) establish firm expectations of transfer success. Other researchers have identified emerging national trends in transfer models, including an awareness of the value of articulation partnerships, communication and collaboration between faculty from two-year and four-year colleges, academic partnerships, and an emphasis on math and science competencies. Strategies identified in the literature for improving transfer effectiveness include creating formal articulation agreements, providing active student support services, undertaking curriculum reform to strengthen the collegiate nature of community college curricula, and encouraging faculty collaboration with the articulation process. The NCAAT agenda is appended. (TGI)

Georgia's business leadership is concerned about that state's public education system which has consistently ranked near the bottom of the educational ladder. In 1986, the Quality Basic Education (QBE) Act became law, and its provisions are described in this document. The Georgia Alliance for Public Education (the Alliance) was mobilized to sustain involvement from the private sector in QBE. The alliance attempts to build a coalition of business leaders who work for improvement in all aspects of primary and secondary public education. Goals include increased prestige for the teaching profession and for public education in general as well as enhanced curricula. Programs include a statewide literary magazine and small grants to classroom teachers. The structure of the board of trustees of the Alliance and business support are detailed. A one-day conference with business leaders and educators is reviewed. Issues beyond the conference include the Alliance's future, its funding, and a concise definition of its mission. Information on the Institute for Educational Leadership is appended. (RR)

A governor's State of the State address is an opportunity to outline policy priorities, highlight past accomplishments and reflect on the condition of the state and country. In 2018, 17 governors are serving their last year in office, having reached the end of their term or deciding not to seek re-election. Many of them used their State of the State addresses to emphasize the importance of collegiality among policymakers. When governing bodies function well, the state and its citizens reap the benefits--a principal benefit being an education that prepares citizens for well-paying jobs. Each year, Education Commission of the States tracks, analyzes and identifies trends in education policy proposals featured in governors' State of the State addresses. To date, 44 governors have delivered their 2018 addresses. The top six education priorities across states are discussed in this report: (1) School Finance; (2) Workforce Development; (3) Postsecondary Affordability; (4) Career and Technical Education; (5) Teacher Quality; and (6) Early Learning.