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Nearly one-third of workers in the United States lack digital skills, and more than 38% of those workers are required to use moderate or advanced computer skills on the job. This skills gap creates talent and growth issues for businesses of all sizes -- from large companies looking to grow and invest in the United States, to small and mid-size companies that employ the greatest share of workers with low or no digital skills. To address this gap and expand access to economic opportunity, the Digital Equity Act (DEA), a provision of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, will deploy $2.75 billion in grants to states. Over five years, states will apply these resources to advance foundational digital literacy and industry-specific digital skills, promote digital equity, and help workers and businesses adapt to the rapidly changing digital economy. As state policymakers prepare plans to bridge the digital divide, employers can help them better understand the digital skills gap and collaborate on solutions to address those disparities -- all while promoting digital equity and high-quality jobs. Employer input will be critical to ensure that communities can fully capitalize on these monumental investments to build a digitally resilient and high-quality workforce. This guide offers three key strategies and guiding questions for employers to contribute to DEA planning and implementation, as well as strategies for state policymakers to support and collaborate with employers in exploring these key questions. [This guide was co-published by UpSkill America, an initiative of the Aspen Institute.]

The U.S. R&D enterprise relies on businesses, federal and nonfederal governments, higher education institutions, and other nonprofit organizations. This report identifies trends in R&D performance and funding and compares them to those of the world's other major economies. The U.S. annual total of R&D has expanded steadily since 2010 (totaling $548 billion in 2017), mostly due to sizable annual increases in business R&D performance. In 2017, the United States remained the world's top R&D performer. However, the global concentration of R&D continues to shift from the United States and Europe to South Asia and East-Southeast Asia. [SRI International, Center for Innovation Strategy and Policy, assisted with report preparation. Research and development performed by higher education institutions is treated in more detail in the "Indicators 2020" reports "Publications Output: U.S. Trends and International Comparisons. Science & Engineering Indicators 2020. NSB-2020-6" (ED615534) and "Academic Research and Development. Science & Engineering Indicators 2020. NSB-2020-2" (ED615447).]

Child exploitation and victimization occur in numerous ways and affect young people of all ages, races, backgrounds, socioeconomic situations, and geographic locations. It is a difficult but important subject for educators, who interact with students more directly and for more hours in a week than most other adults in students' lives. But armed with awareness of the scope and complexities of the child exploitation problem, school leaders can help create a school environment that supports taking action against it. This guide describes inappropriate and criminal behavior directed at children that may be disturbing to many readers. It is intended as an informative resource for adult educators and school leaders. In this guide are answers to questions about the legal issues surrounding child exploitation, so school leaders can develop and strengthen procedures to prevent, identify, and respond to child exploitation, and to support students who have been victimized.

Many previous reports demonstrate that there is a significant need to drive innovation in adult learning and that there can be advantages to entering the market. There are 36 million low-skilled adults in the U.S. who can benefit from new approaches to learning. The effects of low rates of literacy, numeracy, and basic skills are widespread. Underprepared adults often earn lower wages, face poorer health conditions, and are less likely to advance in their jobs. While the general public is aware of the high dropout rates in this country, they are generally unaware of the magnitude of the low skills problem and unfamiliar with the details of how this population might access learning opportunities to gain advancement. Entrepreneurs and investors are equally unfamiliar with the needs of this population and the systems that serve these learners and will naturally invest in opportunities with which they have experience, such as K-12 and higher education. Many entrepreneurs and investors are also hesitant to enter the space because there has been a lack of activity and few successful use cases. This becomes a self-perpetuating problem: without new investment, the lack of evidence remains. These reasons combine to make the thought of entering the adult education market daunting when, in fact, the opportunity is prime. As a follow-up to "Accelerating Change: How Education Technology Developers Can Jump-Start a New Adult Education Market," this guide demystifies the adult learning landscape and addresses concerns of entrepreneurs and investors head-on. Part of the research included interviews with 14 entrepreneurs, investors, and providers who shared their insights into the struggles and successes they have encountered in this market. Their advice is provided to encourage more investment in innovation to improve the learning opportunities for millions of adults. [This report was prepared in partnership with Entangled Solutions. For "Accelerating Change: How Education Technology Developers Can Jump-Start a New Adult Education Market," see ED609443.]

"Science and Engineering Indicators" (SEI) is first and foremost a volume of record comprising high-quality quantitative data on the U.S. and international science and engineering enterprise. SEI includes an overview and seven chapters that follow a generally consistent pattern. The chapter titles are as follows: (1) Elementary and Secondary Mathematics and Science Education; (2) Higher Education in Science and Engineering; (3) Science and Engineering Labor Force; (4) Research and Development: National Trends and International Comparisons; (5) Academic Research and Development; (6) Industry, Technology, and the Global Marketplace; (7) Science and Technology: Public Attitudes and Understanding. An appendix, Methodology, is included. Individual chapters contain references.

This fact sheet summarizes data gathered in the 2012 survey of National Science Foundation (NSF) Advanced Technological Education (ATE) grant recipients. Conducted by EvaluATE, the evaluation resource center for the ATE program located at The Evaluation Center at Western Michigan University, this was the thirteenth annual survey of ATE projects and centers. Included here are findings about the program's grantees and their activities, accomplishments, and impacts during the 2011 calendar year. (Contains 2 tables, 11 figures and 9 footnotes.) [For 2011 report, see ED541557.]

This paper presents the results from the 2012 Corporate Recruiters Survey conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council[R] (GMAC[R]). Conducted annually since 2001, this survey examines the job outlook for recent graduate business students as well as employer needs and expectations. The objectives of this study are to obtain a picture of the current employment landscape, gauge the demand for master's-level business graduates, better understand employer needs, and provide insight into hiring practices and trends across industries and world regions. Responses to this 11th annual survey of graduate business student employers were collected from mid-February to mid-March 2012. Data reflect the responses of 1,096 recruiters representing more than 800 companies in 40 countries worldwide. Respondents in the United States represent firms in 37 states plus the District of Columbia. This broad representation of the employer spectrum was possible through the efforts of the 128 business schools in 30 countries that facilitated the survey administration. Key findings include: (1) Not only are more companies planning to hire recent MBAs in 2012 (79%, up from 72% in 2011), but they expect to increase the number of new hires from 13 in 2011 to 17 per firm in 2012, on average; (2) Growth is most notable in the Asia-Pacific region, where 54 percent of companies plan to hire Master of Accounting graduates in 2012, up from 38 percent in 2011; (3) Small companies (fewer than 1,000 employees) account for the largest proportional increase in demand for MBAs; (4) MBA graduates will continue to command higher starting salaries compared with other master's graduates in the United States in 2012; (5) Regional job placement data provide insight into where graduate business students might work beyond company headquarters; (6) When selecting which job candidates to interview from business schools, recruiters most often consider the candidates' previous work experience; and (7) Employers predominantly seek new graduate business hires with leadership skills in 2012. (Contains 8 tables, 21 figures and 19 footnotes.)

This document was produced by the authors based on their research for the report "Building the Capacity to Innovate: The Role of Human Capital," and is an added resource for further information. This document contains the following appendices: (1) Survey methodology; (2) Synopsis of the literature; (3) Interview questions; and (4) Survey questionnaire. (Contains 56 tables and 5 figures.) [For the full report, "Building the Capacity to Innovate: The Role of Human Capital. Research Report," see ED529887. ]

This fact sheet summarizes data gathered in the 2011 survey of National Science Foundation (NSF) Advanced Technological Education (ATE) grant recipients. Conducted by EvaluATE, the evaluation resource center for the ATE program located at The Evaluation Center at Western Michigan University, this was the twelfth annual survey of ATE projects and centers. Included here are findings about the program's grantees and their activities, accomplishments, and impacts during the 2010 calendar year. (Contains 2 tables, 12 figures and 3 footnotes.) [For 2010 report, see ED541554.]

An August 2010 Harris Interactive[R] survey, commissioned by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, posed questions about entrepreneurship to 5,077 U.S. young people ages eight to twenty-four. The results show that business ownership continues to capture the imaginations of America's youth, particularly for those who know a successful entrepreneur personally. (Contains 20 resources.)

This fact sheet summarizes data gathered in the 2010 survey of National Science Foundation (NSF) Advanced Technological Education (ATE) grant recipients. Conducted by EvaluATE, the evaluation resource center for the ATE program located at The Evaluation Center at Western Michigan University, this was the eleventh annual survey of ATE projects and centers. Included here are findings about the program's grantees and their activities, accomplishments, and impacts during the 2009 calendar year. (Contains 2 tables, 11 figures and 3 footnotes.) [For 2009 report, see ED541553.]

Geographic analysis has been adopted by businesses, especially the retail sector, since the early 1990s (Thrall, 2002). Institutional research can receive the same benefits businesses have by adopting geographic analysis and technology. The commonalities between businesses and higher education institutions include the existence of trade areas, the provision of services to clients (students), and the identification of clients geographically by their addresses. Among the valuable information that institutions of higher education can create using business geography are psychographic profiles of student populations, commuting patterns, the underlying demographics of the institution's trade area, and the ability to plan for new facilities to meet the needs of the market. Understanding these geographic characteristics can assist in identifying institutional objectives and planning how to best implement these objectives. This report demonstrates the capabilities of using geographic analyses in an institutional research capacity for St. Petersburg College in Florida. (Contains 14 figures and 2 footnotes.)

These guidelines for 2010-2013 relate specifically to the Partnership Brokers program. This program is part of the Australian Government's contribution to the Youth Attainment and Transitions National Partnership and will commence on 1 January 2010. These Guidelines set out the requirements for the provision of services by organisations contracted to be Partnership Brokers. These Guidelines form part of the Services Contract with Partnership Brokers. If there is any inconsistency between the terms of the Services Contract and these Guidelines, the Services Contract will prevail. A glossary is included. Three attachments are included: (1) Information Privacy Principles Under the Privacy Act 1988; (2) Partnership Broker Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Framework; and (3) State and Territory Specific Information.

This toolkit is designed to support you in building partnerships with the business community. It includes a series of fact sheets you can distribute to employers that discuss the value in hiring plus 50 workers. Individual sections contain footnotes. (Contains 5 web resources.)

This fact sheet summarizes data gathered in the 2009 survey of National Science Foundation (NSF) Advanced Technological Education (ATE) grant recipients. Conducted by The Evaluation Center at Western Michigan University, this was the tenth annual survey of ATE projects and centers. Included here are statistics about the program's grantees and their activities, accomplishments, and impacts during the 2008 calendar year. Following the report on 2009 survey results, trends over three years are analyzed for selected indicators. Findings from the 2009 survey show that the ATE program continues to perform well within the mandates for its operation. (Contains 14 tables, 12 figures and 3 footnotes.)[For the 2008 report, see ED541555. ]

"Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering" provides statistical information about the participation of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities in science and engineering education and employment. Its primary purpose is to serve as an information source; it offers no endorsement of or recommendations about policies or programs. National Science Foundation reporting on this topic is mandated by the Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (Public Law 96-516). This report contains charts and data tables organized by topic (e.g., undergraduate enrollment, graduate degrees, employment) and also by group (e.g., Hispanics, minority women, persons with disabilities). The charts contain bulleted information describing key points. This report is a dynamic Web-based information source with data updated as they become available. Tables and figures in the report are current as of the Web release date, which appears at the bottom of each table and figure. Presentation slides, which are charts in PowerPoint, graphic, and spreadsheet formats, are provided for easy downloading. A complete update of the report is issued every 2 years for transmittal to Congress and federal agency heads. The Technical Notes section provides information on racial/ethnic and disability reporting categories, on the primary NSF and non-NSF sources of the data, and on sampling errors. (Contains 20 figures and 114 tables.)

Upon first examination, Rwanda does not seem an ideal place for business investment and development. It is a landlocked country, often described as the "land of a thousand hills," surrounded by neighbors at varying stages of socioeconomic progress and stagnation. Because of the underdeveloped transportation infrastructure and a lack of access to ports, doing business in Rwanda carries a remarkable cost. However, Rwanda has experienced 6.4 percent average growth in GDP between 1996 and 2006. It has seen an increase in foreign direct investment in the past several years, with $467 million in registered, planned investment across several sectors of the society in 2005, up from $232 million in 2004. Furthermore, in each of the interviews conducted for this report and according to accounts by additional thoughtful observers, Rwanda is heralded as a country where anti-corruption efforts, security and accountability are consistently at the forefront of the government's attention. Why, given the barriers to investing or conducting business in Rwanda, is the country showing such clear signs of progress? What does that progress mean for its prospects of attracting business investment from the United States? In an effort to answer that question, the authors conducted interviews with individuals both in Rwanda and the United States in both the private and public sectors, and they researched available literature and data related to the subject. The authors found that the reasons why many people are calling Rwanda a model are fairly straightforward: (1) The Kagame administration has a demonstrated commitment to cleaning up corruption and removing the usual barriers to private business investment in post-conflict and developing nations; (2) The country is intentionally promoting itself as an investment destination as a way to defy the typical donor-recipient relationship. Rwanda is clear that their own sustainable development depends not on foreign aid but on the private investment of companies in developed economies; and (3) The foregoing two factors are generating an enthusiasm among investors and businesses in developed countries that has sustained itself just long enough to signal that, if other developing nations behave similarly, investment is likely to follow. Appendices include: (1) Human Development Index; (2) Economic Indicators and Data; (3) Energy Consumption; and (4) Rwanda Interview Schedule. (Contains 24 footnotes.)

Business is about productivity and maintaining a competitive advantage. To do this, business needs qualified workers. Hiring people with disabilities adds value to a business and will attract new customers. Disability is not inability. Employers can make sound business decisions and gain a competitive advantage by using this guide to increase the potential to hire people with disabilities. This employment planning guide offers four lessons and strategies to help businesses plan and design programs for employing people with disabilities; (1) Funding Qualified Workers with Disabilities; (2) Cultivating the Next Generation of Qualified Workers; (3) Learning from Other Businesses; and (4) Putting Research into Practice in the Workplace. Appended are: (1) Recommended Disability-Friendly Strategies for the Workplace; (2) Recommended Disability-Friendly Business Checklist; (3) Business Tax Credits and Reduced Labor Costs; and (4) Reasonable Accommodations and the "American with Disabilities Act (ADA)." A listing of resources is also provided. [For 2006 document, see ED493614.]

Business is about productivity and maintaining a competitive advantage. To do this, business needs qualified workers. Hiring people with disabilities adds value to a business and will attract new customers. Disability is not inability. President Bush's position is that he "will not be satisfied until every American who wants to work can find a job." (White House, Office of the Press Secretary, 2005). Employers can make sound business decisions and gain a competitive advantage by using this guide to increase the potential to hire people with disabilities. This employment planning guide offers: (1) lessons and strategies to help businesses continue to plan and design programs for employing people with disabilities; (2) contact information for programs and resources in each state or locality dedicated to helping employers in their effort to recruit and hire people with disabilities; and (3) fact sheets and a checklist. Appended are: (1) Recommended Disability-Friendly Strategies for the Workplace; (2) Recommended Disability-Friendly Business Checklist; (3) Business Tax Credits and Reduced Labor Costs; and (4) Reasonable Accommodations and the "American with Disabilities Act (ADA)." A listing of resources is also provided. [For the 2005 edition of this publication, see ED493668.]

This handbook provides P-16 council leaders with a toolkit of background information and proposed procedures for structuring and guiding implementation of Business-Higher Education Forum's (BHEF) proposed action plan. Specifically, it details a four-part nationwide action plan to improve overall pre-kindergarten through high school (P-12) mathematics and science achievement in America through sweeping and coordinated changes in entire education systems. The BHEF plan recognizes that a P-12 education system cannot improve itself by itself. New directions and improved performance in P-12 education is dependent upon corresponding new directions and improved performance in higher education. Higher education and the business community must join the P-12 community as equal partners in implementing a systems approach to improving P-12 education. The BHEF calls upon business and higher education leaders--and, through them, policymakers--to commit to new and collaborative roles to improve the teaching and learning of P-12 mathematics and science. The BHEF also urges business and higher education leaders to champion the promising initiatives already begun by P-12 educators and to work with them to develop and implement new strategies, policies, and programs that will raise the mathematics and science achievement of all of America's students. The four actions of the BHEF plan are: (1) Establish a P-16 education council in each state.; (2) Simultaneously address and align the five P-12 system components; (3) Engage business and higher education in more effective P-12 reform roles; and (4) Implement coordinated national and state-specific public information programs. This handbook, designed for business, higher education, and policy leaders, provides a research foundation for the actions proposed, offers experience-based guidelines for the structure and agenda of a P-16 council, examines the current state of efforts to improve the components of state education systems, suggests goals and procedures for coordinated and lasting improvement of state systems of mathematics and science education, and highlights effective projects and resources. Eight chapters comprise this handbook. Chapter 1 (Leading System Change: Structure and Goals of a P-16 Council) presents the case for the establishment of a P-16 system approach to improving P-12 mathematics and science education. Chapter 2 (P-12 Student Content Standards in Mathematics and Science) traces the emergence of standards--statements of what all students should know and be able to do--as the foundation of P-12 education in America. Chapter 3 (P-12 Curricula in Mathematics and Science) establishes the need for high-quality P-12 core curricula in mathematics and science for all students. Chapter 4 (P-12 Student Assessment in Mathematics and Science) deals with a component of state systems of education currently undergoing considerable change, a direct result of the federal government's No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). Chapter 5 (P-12 Teacher Quality) documents the central role of well-educated, highly committed, and well-supported teachers in the success of students. Chapter 6 (System Accountability) refocuses attention on the BHEF objective to improve the system of education. The chapter's title speaks to the need to hold the entire P-16 system accountable for P-12 students' performance in mathematics and science. Chapter 7 (Roles for Business and Higher Education) outlines new directions and opportunities for the engagement of business and higher education communities in long-term, high-impact, system-wide efforts to improve the mathematics and science achievement of all students. Finally, Chapter 8 (Coordinated National and State Public Information Programs) discusses the need for a sustained, five-year public information programs to gain sweeping public commitment to strengthen the mathematics and science education of all students. A glossary is provided. (Contains 4 figures and 200 endnotes.) [Financial support for the Forum Mathematics and Science Education Initiative was provided by the Dow Chemical Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation Inc., Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, and Pharmacia Corporation.]

With sustainable business practices on the rise in many companies--and in many business schools--the question looms large: How do you land an environmental job in a company, agency, or other organization? First the bad news: traditional environmental jobs in big companies are on the wane. Many companies are cutting back on their environment health and safety staff. The good news is that many companies are integrating environmental thinking into other parts of their operations--into manufacturing, facilities management, procurement, accounting, finance, marketing, sales, legal, and communications--creating new job opportunities and career paths. More often than not, the environmental aspects of these jobs are hidden. That is, the jobs aren't advertised as "environmental." Rather, companies with strong commitments to environmental responsibility are looking for job candidates who "get it"--who understand the opportunities for environmental initiatives to add value to companies through decreased costs, increased sales, new market development, reduced risk, increased quality, and other means--and who can seamlessly integrate those goals into their everyday jobs. It's these "stealth" environmental jobs that are the growing opportunities for job seekers at every level. In this document, you'll find some of the many resources to help you find the right fit for you--and your values.

In this standard, students learn how economies, large and small, function. Supply and demand are covered in depth, and students learn to identify the production, consumption, and circulation of different types of resources in local, state, national, and world economies. Students also learn about employment and personal finance, as well as the influence of economic factors on major historical events.

The purpose of this guide is to acquaint business and industry with the programs and resources available to help diversify the workforce by hiring people with disabilities. It also provides information to businesses on how to access resources to better meet the growing need of business for a skilled workforce. This guide is the product of a joint effort between the U.S. Department of Education?s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce?s Center for Workforce Preparation. The following are appended: (1) Recommended Disability-Friendly Strategies for the Workplace; (2) Recommended Disability-Friendly Business Checklist; (3) Business Tax Credits and Reduced Labor Costs; and (4) Reasonable Accommodations and the ADA.

This career academy course sequence guide is designed to give teachers a quick overview of the course sequences of well-known career academy and career pathway programs from across the country. The guide presents a variety of sample course sequences for the following academy themes: (1) arts and communication; (2) business and finance; (3) computers and information technology; (4) engineering, manufacturing, and construction; (5) environmental science, natural resources, and agriculture; (6) health and biosciences; and (7) tourism and hospitality. In addition to course sequences for each academy theme, the guide also offers examples of specific course descriptions related to each theme. The course descriptions contain a detailed syllabus for each course plus recommended texts and sources of additional information. Because the goal of career academies is to simultaneously prepare students for college and careers, all the course descriptions provided only describe courses that meet college admission standards. The guide's introduction lists four planning guides that can be consulted as start-up or planning guides along with the names, World Wide Web addresses, and brief overviews of the programs offered by seven key sources of career academy-related information and/or providers of career academy programs that were consulted in compiling the guide. (MN)

The GATS is a multilateral, legally enforceable agreement among members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) that regulates international trade services. Rules regulating internationally traded educational services, which include various types of exchange programs, are part of the agreement. Among the 42 member countries that have made commitments in educational services, 25 have included commitments for at least four of the five education subsectors: primary, secondary, higher, adult, and other education. This background document presents a brief overview of the obligations and rules of GATS as regards educational services, and describes each WTO member country's commitments in educational services. The document contains the following: explanations and applications of GATS elements and rules pertaining to educational services; 12 charts that display and describe WTO member countries' commitments by the various education subsectors and designated modes of supply (cross-border supply, consumption abroad, commercial presence, and presence of natural persons); a bibliography containing 10 references; a country-by-country summary of commitments to the education subsectors; and a country-by-country schedule of commitments in educational services for each subsector and each mode. (WFA)

Red River College, Manitoba, Canada, is the largest and most comprehensive institute of applied learning in the province. It provides education and training to 32,000 full- and part-time enrollees per year, and offers more than 110 diploma, certificate, and apprenticeship programs. The 2000/2001 annual employment and satisfaction survey of College graduates indicates that 85% of respondents were satisfied or very satisfied with the education and training they received, while 80% strongly agreed or agreed that the training they received was up-to-date. Academic offerings, ranging from Aboriginal and Teacher Education to Mechanical Engineering technology, are detailed in the report. The College Expansion Initiative (CEI) supports the growth of Manitoba's public college system. Under CEI, all four public colleges have developed multi-year expansion plans. As part of the planning process, Red River College is now offering 317 courses using WebCT, up from 44, and the number of students with WebCT accounts has grown from 118 in 2000-01 to 3,643 in 2001-02. Additionally, Red River College integrates related on-the-job experience with classroom theory by alternating terms of paid employment with academic study. The College offers a total number of 25 cooperative programs, with an enrollment of 1,073. (NB)

Based on Sun Tzu's book "The Art of War," this lesson plan presents activities designed to help students understand that the book has become required reading in military curricula as well as business, economics, and political science classes, and that many cultures rely on ancient texts and ideas for advice and guidance. The main activity in the lesson involves students interviewing business people to determine if business is conducted as if it were war. It includes objectives, materials, procedures, adaptations, discussion questions, evaluation methods, extension activities, annotations of suggested readings and web links, vocabulary, and related academic standards and benchmarks addressed in the lesson plan. The lesson plan also contains a description of a video clip related to the lesson, comprehension questions related to the video clip, and answers to those comprehension questions. (RS)

This tool kit is intended to help business leaders seize specific opportunities to partner with educators and political leaders in the next year to implement reforms called for by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, which provides new accountability measures and resources to raise the achievement of students throughout the United States. The toolkit outlines action steps for business that include: (1) know the landscape of emerging state policies; (2) join forces to work together; (3) reach out to the political leadership; and (4) influence the educational change process. Some of the issues and messages related to key academic reforms are reviewed. These include academic standards and assessments, public disclosure of data, accountability, the alignment of educational improvements, and teacher quality. Information resources on the states and state contacts for business support are listed. Six appendixes summarize aspects of recent federal legislation related to educational improvement and present a timeline for implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act. (SLD)

This document provides case studies that represent a sampling of successful public library joint ventures in California and other U.S. cities and counties. Chapter 1 defines what a partnership is and how a joint venture differs from a partnership. It also describes the benefits of partnering, the knowledge, attitude, and skills required, and how to develop, evaluate, and promote new partnerships. Chapter 2 addresses library partnerships with public agencies and provides four case studies that exemplify those types of library partnerships. Chapter 3 identifies library partnerships with foundations and nonprofits, supplies six case studies, and offers details on community foundations in California. Chapter 4 explores library partnerships with businesses and provides four case studies, three of them from libraries outside of California. Chapter 5 outlines information on library partnerships with the media and three case studies of successful library/media partnerships. Chapter 6 provides an A to Z guide to partnership methodology and structure. (Contains 25 references.) (MES)

This handbook provides information and materials to assist applicants in preparing an application to establish a charter school in Arizona. The topics discussed reflect the technical requirements of Arizona's charter-school legislation. It does not necessarily reflect the selection requirements or the policies of the State Board of Education, the State Board for Charter Schools, or an Arizona public school district. Either board and/or a district may approve an application if the application meets the requirements of the legislation, and may approve the charter if the proposed sponsor determines, within its sole discretion, that the application is sufficiently qualified to operate a charter school. As a sponsoring agent for charter schools, the individual boards and districts are committed to ensuring that all applicants have a fair and equal opportunity to submit a charter proposal that will meet this commitment. The handbook's purpose is to facilitate the application process and provide technical assistance to understand the key elements of legislation establishing charter schools, to provide answers to frequently asked questions about Arizona's charter schools as public schools, to provide information about important contacts, and to help save time in identifying resources from the Arizona Department of Education and other agencies. Sections deal with charter-school contracts, operations, resources to be ordered, and establishment of a small business. The handbook, however, is not intended to be an exhaustive discussion of these requirements. (DFR)

This report on the status of telecommunications and information technology in Indian Country was created as a tool for reference, training, planning, and general educational purposes to be used by Native Americans, government policy makers, and others. A background section discusses policy and the current state of Native communities with regard to the use of telecommunications and technology. It offers a guide to the existing legal and regulatory parameters of telecommunications and their implications in relation to Indian law and sovereignty issues. Opportunities available to tribes in the commercial and regulatory arenas are outlined, and implications of telecommunications and technology for Native Americans, both positive and negative, are discussed. A directory of information resources and tools outlines telecommunications and information technology practices in Native communities today and includes funding sources (federal, private, and corporate); current Native American telecommunications projects in the fields of education, community networking, the environment, Geographic Information Systems and Global Positioning Satellite, law enforcement, library and museum services, and telemedicine; and technology-focused Native businesses and organizations. Appendices provide a sample survey from the Office of Technology Assessment report, "Telecommunications Technology and Native Americans," which tribes can use to perform their own technology assessments; a glossary of telecommunications terms; and five additional online references. (TD)

In this lesson, students work as marketing teams hired by a U.S. fast food company to study the feasibility of selling fast food in Latin America. Teams are composed of cultural, production, marketing, and advertising experts. Each marketing team will investigate a product and a Latin American country. Teams will present their research and recommend whether or not the company should enter the Latin American market. Students are provided with background information, detailed instructions, and on-line resources. The teacher's notes explain the application of history/social science and language arts standards and suggest teaching strategies. (BB)

This guide is designed for companies that are working to strengthen schools. It is meant to help state and local business leaders become more effective advocates for building and sustaining the necessary community support for rigorous assessments of student achievement. The ultimate goal of educational improvement efforts must be to improve student achievement, and not just to set standards. The guide contains options for helping build public awareness of and support for rigorous assessments (chapter 2), as well as advice form business leaders in several states who have helped build and sustain support for new assessments (chapter 3). Some of the issues and debates surrounding tough new assessments are reviewed in chapter 4. Appendixes A and B contain explanations of different types of tests and how they are used, with a sample communications plan. Appendix C contains resources for learning more about standards, assessments, and building public engagement around higher student achievement. An attached diagram shows nine components of a successful education system. (SLD)

Implementation of a thorough expatriate selection process and an effective cross-cultural training (CCT) program can reduce expatriate failure rates. The selection process must determine compatibility and receptiveness of an employee and his or her family to an assignment overseas through worldwide recruitment, companywide screening for international talent, creation of opportunities to gain international experience, and promotion to top-level management positions. The costs of a failed assignment are loss of time and business opportunities, damaged relations with the firm's constituencies in the foreign country, and long-term negative impact upon reputation in the regional area. The Usable Content Model is built upon the premise that length and content of an effective CCT program depends on length and type of expatriate assignment. Recognizing that corporate constraints tend to reduce course content and length of training, the Model takes into account both potential and usable content. Usable content is referred to as the Familiarization Training Approach (FTA) and the Harmonization Training Approach (HTA). Potential content is referred to as the Unification Training Approach (UTA). A 3- to 4-day FTA provides area and cultural briefings, films/books about the host country, and cultural sensitivity training. A 5- to 7-day HTA includes FTA content plus role playing, critical incidents, and case studies. A 3- to 5-week UTA includes HTA content plus complete cross-cultural training for the employee's family and an overseas trip to the host company. (Contains 43 references.) (YLB)

This book, for students returning to Russia after study in the United States, contains practical suggestions on looking for a job and writing resumes, information on the job market in Russia, advice from returned graduate students, and statistical data about Russian students studying in the United States. It also profiles companies that have expressed an interest in hiring Russian students after study abroad. Introductory material includes messages from leaders of the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia and the Institute of International Education. Section 1 is on the job search. Subsections cover planning and setting goals; the job search while still in the United States and after returning to Russia; practical tips for the job search; and reentry and readaptation in Russia. Section 2 offers advice for returnees, including a Russian labor law primer, a profile of the booming finance market, and advice from former students. Section 3 presents one-page profiles of 24 companies, with information on field of business, company headquarters address, number of employees in Russia, number of employees worldwide, desired qualifications/skills of job applicants, practical and formal training offered, and contact person. A final section describes the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia and the Institute of International Education. (DB)

This business guide was designed to aid in assessing a company's current business-education partnerships and to determine the extent to which such partnerships are linked to key business and school objectives. The guide may be used to: assess a company's current educational initiatives; build on existing educational initiatives to create more strategic business-education partnerships; consider educational approaches within the context of national priority areas and revise them accordingly; determine to what degree corporate culture supports education partnerships; and evaluate the outcome of programs, practices, and policies designed to meet business and school concerns. The guide is organized around 12 worksheets and 5 steps that provide step-by-step procedures for accomplishing specific tasks. Step 1 includes worksheet 1, which describes how to create a corporate environment that supports education. Step 2 includes worksheets 2-5 and aids in assessing a company's involvement in business-education partnership. Step 3 offers worksheets 6-8 and provides a link to business and school objectives. Step 4, which assists in building coalitions, contains worksheets 9-10. Step 5 lists worksheets 11 and 12. This step includes planning, implementing, and evaluating the company's business plan. The business guide concludes with an addendum that includes case examples, background information, and resources. A set of duplicable 11- by 17-inch worksheets is included. (RJM)

Developed by classroom teachers during the development phase of Minnesota's Graduation Standards, this performance package is made up of locally designed assignments that, taken together, show whether a student has learned and can apply the knowledge and skills related to developing an implementing a plan to start a business or an organization. It begins with reference to the particular content standard addressed in the package, the educational level of the package (high school), and a summary statement of the content standard. It then describes the task associated with the student performances: research, write and present a business plan It then offers specific statements from the standard regarding what students should know and should do, the products, task description, special notes, and feedback checklists for the task enumerated in the package. (RS)

This paper contains information written from the perspective of a U.S. executive traveling overseas for the first time. The ideas presented are to help ease the fear of the experience. Sections include: (1) from outside looking in; (2) encounter stage and transition shock; and (3) taking care of business in a foreign environment. The seminar participant notes his interest is both personal and professional. He is an African from Nigeria where, like India, many ethnic groups exist and many languages and dialects are spoken. Also, he desires to explore the similarities and differences between Indian, American, and Nigerian cultures in the areas of diversity management. Recommendations for future travelers in foreign countries are made. Contains a list of 20 references. (EH)

This lesson plan uses students' interest in sports to teach good citizenship. With its focus on rules, responsibility, conflict resolution, and teamwork, the unit emphasizes the development of critical thinking, decision-making, and citizenship skills in young people. This lesson plan is part of a series of fully prepared, interactive classroom lesson plans offered by the Sports and the Law program of the Constitutional Rights Foundation. Each lesson includes detailed teacher instructions, background information, and student handouts. This lesson presents a National Basketball Association (NBA) mock draft. Students roleplay team owners, players, and members of an arbitration panel while dealing with free agency, the salary cap, and building a competitive team. (BT)

According to the employees, employers, and service providers who participated in a series of 18 focus groups across the country, companies striving to reinvent themselves to compete successfully are beginning to recognize the benefits of making employees partners in the change process. Companies have only three levers for making changes in companies: design, technology, and people. Successful change requires that organizations have employees capable of functioning in the new environments resulting from design and/or technology innovations. Engaging employees as partners in change creates a new covenant between employers and employees that includes the following elements: employability, training, information, capacity to act, and rewards. Companies that want change to be a positive force must understand how to engage employees as partners in change. Employees and managers from small and midsized businesses involved in both successful and unsuccessful change have offered the following guidelines for managers wishing to engage employees as partners in change: communicate throughout the change effort, create a culture that supports change, value workers, treat workers equitably, design training to improve performance on the job, and be committed to change. (MN)

This document contains instructional materials to illustrate economic perspectives relating to issues such as: (1) why nations trade; (2) challenges of the developing world; (3) north-south relations; (4) cross cultural awareness; (5) global integration of markets and products; and (6) trade barriers, controversy and consequences. The items are intended as supplementary materials for use within historical contexts. The first set of materials is a case study approach that focuses on the Caribbean. The region offers multiple illustrations of how and why trading relationships evolve between nations. Objectives include: (1) illustration of the linkages of the Caribbean to the global community from social, cultural, and economic perspectives; (2) exemplification of economic links using a local example; (3) identifying and explaining the nature and risks inherent in a global entrepreneurship through decision making and critical thinking activities; (4) exploring issues confronting less developed countries via comparative analysis of colonial and present day industry; and (5) showing teachers that partnerships with business create living and working experiential units of study. The second section deals specifically with direct foreign investment and challenges facing the developing world. This section explores the determining factors that are key to making direct foreign investment decisions, as well as protectionism, debt, dependency, specialization, and global manufacturing systems. A 20 day lesson plan is provided, as are handouts, materials, individual activities, and resource lists. (DK)

The Company (abbreviated COMPNY) Library in the LEXIS/NEXIS database provides comprehensive information on corporations. The COMPNY Library contains more than 170 files of business and financial information, with an emphasis on publicly-owned companies. This guide is designed to walk users of the LEXIS/NEXIS system through the steps needed to access the COMPNY Library. It covers the contents of files, explains how to search the library, describes how to display/print and download records, and provides a list of basic commands and function keys. The guide includes examples of screens the user will need to manipulate and describes the 20 group records into which information pertaining to a specific company is broken down. Suggestions on how to refine a search strategy and a list of other sources are also provided. (KRN)

The United States' declining share of world trade is connected with the fact that hundreds of thousands of medium- and small-sized businesses are ignoring trade and exports. The cure for their fear of the unknown is information and education. Exports have a number of advantages: increased profits, spread of overhead costs, smooth seasonal fluctuations, increased productivity and competitiveness, tax advantages, and extended product life cycles. In many ways, international trade is not different than expanding into a new region of the United States. It is different in some ways: new needs and tastes; different forms of distribution duties, quotas, licenses; more complicated and costly shipping, documentation, and insurance; and different financing and payment terms and methods. The best place to begin is at the nearest office of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Its International Trade Administration offers information services through Commercial Information Management System in three categories: identification and assessment of markets, contact services, and promotion. Books on exporting are available from the government. Other useful government agencies are the Export-Import Bank of the Small Business Administration and the District Export Council. Individual states are becoming increasingly active in encouraging, stimulating, and servicing medium and small businesses that wish to explore and expand into exporting. World Trade Centers, local trade associations, private consultants, export management companies, and private trade firms offer market research services and other support. (YLB)

As part of an effort to understand the dynamics of the hiring process by recruiters on college campuses this study surveyed recruiters. In order to obtain a good sample of recruiters, 11 college placement offices across the nation agreed to distribute surveys to employer representatives visiting their campuses. A total of 2,550 surveys were distributed and 950 responded. Results indicated that the typical recruiter was white, college educated, male and between the ages of 20 and 35, a profile that corresponds to the profile observed 20 years ago. In addition the data suggested that only 12 percent recruited on a full-time basis while the rest recruit part-time or on a volunteer basis; women comprised a larger percentage of full-time recruiters (45 percent) and tended to hold human resource positions in the company; full-time recruiters received 10 days of training compared to 5 days for volunteers with more than 40 percent of training from informal methods such as training by mentors; full- and part-time recruiters used a broader range of candidate characteristics in their pre-screening and hiring decisions; volunteers and others focused attention on technical skills and work motivation; full-time recruiters were more likely to report using potentially discriminating characteristics such as appearance and fit to organizational image; all enjoyed recruiting. Included are 6 tables and 10 references. (JB)

This manual is designed to help teachers, businesses, Chambers of Commerce, and students start their own economic development activities and youth ventures. It describes a two-step plan to economic development through youth: development of an in-school student chamber of commerce program and development of a youth-owned venture. The first part of the manual explains how to start an in-school student chamber of commerce program. Entrepreneurship is the first topic covered. The following pages document success stories of young entrepreneurs. The next section discusses the involvement of business people, educators, chambers of commerce, and students; their roles; and benefits of involvement. The steps for development of an in-school student chamber of commerce program are described: orientation with a local chamber; start of the student chamber; activities for the role model chamber; structuring of the work groups; and reports and records. The second part of the manual offers tips and guidance for starting a youth-owned business. Six steps are discussed: (1) research; (2) decide what kind of business; (3) select business structure; (4) write a business plan; (5) start the business; and (6) market the business. Other contents include a list of ideas for youth-owned business, and a sample Youth Venture Volunteer Contract, and a business start-up checklist. Appended are materials to supplement the activities of the manual (information on pricing, licensing, regulations, and tax reporting) and a list of resource people, organizations, and publications. (YLB)

A survey in education describes the present condition of an educational program and forms the basis for knowing what is happening in a particular school. This volume is intended to be a practical guide to school surveying in South Korea, but not a scholarly thesis on surveys. The emphasis is on field studies and how surveyors can perform a school survey. The survey model presented follows the common organization of schools and is readily understood by most educators. The four main components are: (1) institutional affairs; (2) academic affairs; (3) student affairs; and (4) business affairs. Actual samples of surveys are presented to serve as patterns for other surveyors. Many types of documents may be collected and studied in a school survey. Some examples of these are presented, and a form is included for surveyors to use in conducting an educational survey. (SLD)

Designed for high school teachers of economics, social studies, and business education, this teaching package provides materials for a course that combines study of basic economic concepts with an understanding of entrepreneurship. The teacher resource manual consists of three parts. Part 1 is an overview of the relationship between economics and entrepreneurship education. Part 2 contains 17 lessons. Topics include: entrepreneurs; characteristics of entrepreneurs; human capital; scarcity; economic systems; markets; entrepreneurial innovation; interdependence of entrepreneurial activities; demand; supply; market equilibrium; profits; business organization; borrowing; competitive markets; demand for labor; and government intervention. Contents of each lesson include: time required; concepts; instructional objectives; rationale; required materials; vocabulary (terms with definitions); procedures (suggestions for adapting activities for students of different ability levels); and evaluation (tests or activities to assess students' understanding). Reduced-print pages of student activities follow each lesson. Part 3 describes instructional practices that foster entrepreneurial behavior on the part of students. A complete set of blackline masters for student activities completes the package. (YLB)

This instructional guide on career opportunities contains 17 units on the following topics: locating information about occupations; introduction to the occupational clusters; agribusiness and natural resources; business and office; communications and media; construction; consumer and homemaking; environment; fine arts and humanities; health; hospitality and recreation; manufacturing; marine science; marketing and distribution; personal services; public services; and transportation. Each unit may contain the following sections: notes to the instructor; answers to activity sheets and tests; information sheet(s); activity sheet(s); unit test; supplemental activities; references; and transparency masters. In addition, each unit contains a unit objective and specific objectives. (NLA)

Theory underlying marketing in the public sector is presented in combination with specific examples of marketing strategies and techniques used in college unions and student activities programs across the country. The subject of marketing is discussed under six major subject headings: (1) why marketing? (2) analyzing marketing opportunities; (3) planning the marketing mix; (4) developing a marketing program; (5) evaluation of the marketing program; and (6) putting it all together. The latter section includes a review of the step-by-step method for marketing the college union as well as the marketing applications and profiles of marketing programs at four diverse institutions: Dallas State University, Jenkins College in Virginia, University of Wisconsin at Madison, and Stanford University in California. Among the topics discussed are consumer analysis, pricing, market targeting and forecasting, research, conducting marketing audits, and the development and execution of a marketing program evaluation. Contains an index and glossary. (GLR)

The Recalibrating the British Columbia (BC) Transfer System project initiated in 2005 proposed that the designation of institutions in the BC Transfer Guide as either "sending institution" or "receiving institution," according to their perceived primary function, should be examined. The results of the consultation indicated overwhelming support (94%) for removing the restrictions on designation, and providing an environment whereby each institution can undertake its own evaluation of which designations best fit its situation, goals and business practices. This document establishes a structure to facilitate the implementation of the recommendation to liberalize access to the receiving institution designation. While in agreement that it is no longer appropriate to restrict the receiving institution designation, the British Columbia Council on Admissions and Transfer (BCCAT) is concerned that the expansion of the BC Transfer System to include many more receiving institutions must proceed carefully due to: (1) Respondents to the Recalibrating consultation were divided on whether or not BCCAT should continue to manage designation assignment; (2) The task of maintaining agreements expands with each new receiving institution and trust can be undermined if institutions are unable to keep agreements up to date; (3) Tasks associated with the administration of transfer credit agreements as a receiving institution may not be well known or understood at an institution that has traditionally acted as a sending institution: BCCAT expects assurance that each institution planning to add the receiving institution designation has undertaken an examination of the policies, resources and practices required to support this function; and (4) BCCAT believes that it is important for institutions to examine the business case for requesting the receiving institution designation. Following statement of policy, a readiness checklist for new receiving institutions is provided. (Contains 1 footnote.)