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The purpose of this project was to study instructional practices useful in improving the academic achievement of all students, particularly African American students. AEL staff believed that the approach of working closely with school and district personnel to provide professional development and exemplary culturally responsive instructional materials in selected Kanawha County schools would yield differentiated teacher and student classroom behaviors. Further, AEL believed that this approach would build the schools capacity to continue improvement efforts aimed at raising the academic achievement of African American and other students. Thus, the research aimed to examine the impact of different levels of the intervention on teacher and student behaviors. (Contains 22 tables and 2 figures.) [This document was produced by the Appalachia Educational Laboratory at Edvantia, formerly the Appalachian Educational Laboratory (AEL, Inc.). It was presented at the 2005 National Evaluation Institute July 7-9, 2005, Memphis, TN.]

Since 1988, more than half of all states have passed laws that allow state authorities to take control of local school districts under certain circumstances. As of 2004, 54 cases of state takeovers had been reported nationwide--most of them in urban and rural districts. The most commonly cited causes are financial and management problems; academic problems are cited in only 18 cases. However, interest in takeovers aimed at improving student achievement may increase as states explore turnaround options for districts identified for NCLB-required corrective action. This policy brief examines research and data related to state takeovers and suggests measures for increasing the effectiveness of similar corrective actions. (Contains 41 endnotes.)

Universal design is a process that ensures that a newly created product is useful to the broadest possible array of people, particularly those with disabilities. Often, designing for specific disabilities proves beneficial for all. The sloped curb corner, for example, allows wheelchairs, strollers, bicycles, and, indeed, any pedestrian to move more safely from the sidewalk to the street crossing. In March of 2005, the Institute for the Advancement of Emerging Technologies in Education (IAETE) at AEL held an online panel discussion on universal design for technology-based assessment as part of its ongoing Soapbox series. This document summarizes an e-mail-based panel discussion that took place in 2005. It is part of the continuing Soapbox online forum sponsored by the Institute for the Advancement of Emerging Technologies in Education (IAETE) at AEL. The mission of the Soapbox forums is to sponsor discussion among educators, education researchers, technology industry leaders, and others interested in technology's role in advancing education.

For too long, education in West Virginia has operated as a series of discrete silos: early childhood programs, elementary schools, middle grades, high schools, vocational and technical programs, two-year community and technical colleges, workforce training, four-year colleges and universities, and graduate education. As students move from one silo to the next in their academic careers, too many fall through the numerous cracks created by a disjointed system. A third grader who cannot read at grade level enters the fourth grade with little hope of catching up academically to his peers. A middle school student who does not receive appropriate academic counseling enters high school with little hope of taking the courses necessary to prepare her for postsecondary success. A community college student who is unable to transfer course credits enters a four-year degree program with little hope of finishing his degree on time, or at all. An undergraduate student who must take remedial courses has little hope of pursuing a graduate degree. While some students do manage to navigate the system and move through one silo to the next, it is much less common than it should be: for example, of every 100 West Virginia 9th graders, only 15 will receive a college degree within six years of their graduation from high school.

The West Virginia State Board of Education assumed administrative control of the Lincoln county school system in June 2000, following a state report on the county?s failure to make adequate progress in rectifying major deficiencies identified in an October 1999 audit. One of the conditions for regaining local board control was that the Lincoln County school system develop a strategic plan, with community input, that included a mission statement and measurable goals to support the mission. This report describes the the development of the strategic plan, the involvement of the community and other stakeholders, and lessons learned during the process.

Rural school districts face unique challenges in cultivating a teaching force that possesses subject-matter expertise, a willingness to undertake difficult professional work at the local level, and attentiveness to rural practices and cultures. At the same time, many rural schools harbor significant strengths that districts might draw upon to foster high-quality teaching. This policy brief examines this dynamic and suggests the need for professional development practices that are responsive to rural circumstances.

AEL partnered with the Kanawha County Schools (West Virginia) and African American community leaders to explore ways to narrow the achievement gap between African American and White students being served by the district. This report documents an effort to engage members of the African American community and a school district administration in dialogues on race and education. The report includes firsthand accounts of perceptions on the racial achievement gap in education from school district personnel, members of the African American community, parents, and teachers. Findings suggest that the strategies used by AEL and the school district to support cooperation among stakeholders contributed to a better understanding of the needs of African American students and ultimately could help close the gap in achievement.

This report constitutes the first part of the project undertaken by the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) and AEL, to investigate strategies for the recruitment and retention of teachers in rural schools. The "highly qualified teacher" requirement of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 has spotlighted the urgency and importance of recruiting and retaining highly qualified teachers. Rural schools and districts are at a disadvantage in recruiting teachers due to: (1) lower pay; (2) geographic and social isolation; (3) difficult working conditions, such as having to teach classes in multiple subject areas; and (4) scarcity of professional development opportunities. The literature indicates that effective rural recruitment and retention practices share four characteristics: They are: (1) strategic;(2) specific to the schools or subject areas that are hard to staff; (3) sustained; and (4) rooted in the community. Thirteen specific strategies are suggested.

This document describes a dialogue process that took place in Charleston, West Virginia, between and among district and school-level administrators, who are predominantly European American and African American community leaders. AEL, a federally funded regional educational laboratory, and the Kanawha County School District (where Charleston is located) partnered to initiate the process, which played out in monthly sessions over a 16-month period beginning in May 2001. Although the number of participants expanded and contracted from time to time, the original group included 10 district administrators, 12 principals, and 14 community members. In addition to the regular participants, some school board members and state legislators also participated from time to time. The group named itself the MAACK (Maximizing the Achievement of African American Children in Kanawha). The sessions were intended to generate conditions that would make it possible "to improve educational opportunities for African American children"(Kusimo, 2001). The dialogue sessions were to help each cohort achieve a better understanding of the other?s experience and perspective so that together they could plan collaborative actions. The purpose of this account is to offer a process by which similar dialogues might be initiated in other school districts and communities.

In spring 2004, more than 1,200 teachers and principals in Tennessee participated in online professional development as part of the state?s Reading First grant. The opportunity also allowed the state to investigate the possibility of using online professional development to help teachers meet high-quality teacher requirements. Staff at the Appalachia Educational Laboratory (AEL) relied on internally developed instructional design standards and John Keller?s ARCS model of motivational design to develop and deliver the online professional development. An evaluation was completed by The CNA Corporation. Gains shown from pre- to posttest scores indicate that the training allowed participants to make significant gains in content knowledge. Three sources of participant feedback indicate high levels of satisfaction with the content of the training modules.

In 2000, AEL began a collaboration with a partnership of faith-based organizations (FBOs) in Charleston, West Virginia. The partnership wished to expand educational support for African American and low-income youth. AEL aimed to bring its knowledge of education to organizations having long-term relationships with young people and commitment to their futures. This paper offers lessons from AEL's experience about developing relationships with FBOs, understanding their culture, assessing the potential for collaboration, and providing technical assistance. It is intended to assist other organizations wishing to form similar collaborations.

The purpose of the study was to report normative AEL CSIQ ("AEL Continuous School Improvement Questionnaire") data for the total of 132 schools who had completed it by 2002. The normative data were developed and reported by type (level) of school, locale type (Johnson) codes, and schools nominated to be high performing learning communities. This latter group of schools requires description. Within the total of 132 schools, there was a special subgroup of schools who were nominated by either AEL or Tennessee Department of Education staff as being high-performing schools and professional learning communities. These special schools, which are referred to as the "Known" schools, were viewed as possessing positive characteristics relative to continuous learning and improvement by both the students in the school and by the adult professional staff. These special schools were nominated to possess the characteristics of high-performing learning communities--there was no guarantee that they were, in fact, high-performing learning communities. Indeed, one of the chief purposes of the norming study for the AEL CSIQ was to study the normative data from the set of "Known" schools (Meehan, Wiersma, Cowley, Craig, Orletsky, & Childers, 2002, p. 7). This report includes the following sections: Introduction; Methods; Findings and Discussion; and Conclusions and Recommendations.

This paper provides a summary of a comprehensive evaluation of the Kentucky statewide Extended School Services (ESS) program. The Extended School Services (ESS) program was established in 1990 as part of the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA). Designed specifically to address the needs of Kentucky's at-risk student population, ESS is an aggressive, proactive program for addressing academic problems before they become ingrained (Nesselrodt & Schaffer, 2000b). The ESS program extends the school day, week, or year for students at risk of academic failure, providing them with additional instructional time to help them meet academic goals. Rather than being an "add-on" or "stand-alone" program, ESS is designed to be an integral part of each school's regular academic program, thus ensuring that students receive instructional assistance in core content subjects in which they are performing poorly.

A cross validation study was conducted using data from white, rural seventh graders to investigate the stability of the construct validity of a model of eight conditions that are purported to support adolescent academic aspirations. A factor analytic study examined GEAR-UP survey data from 4,365 students across two consecutive years. In contrast to the model proposed by the University of Maine, the results of this study supported a four-factor model that persisted across years and gender. These factors are Self- Efficacy, Teacher-Centric, Leadership, and Like School. While the factors were consistent, the weightings did vary by gender and by year with girls rating the Teacher- Centric factor as most important and boys rating Self-Efficacy first across time periods.

It is impossible to overstate the importance of effective interventions for addressing two highly prevalent and potentially devastating disorders affecting school-age children--dyslexia and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Both have been found to increase children's risk for underachievement, school failure, delinquency, and dropping out. Furthermore, there is evidence that the disorders often coexist, though the nature of this overlap is still not fully understood. While more and more children with learning deficits are being educated in regular classrooms, many of those teachers lack sufficient training to help them succeed. Moreover, the pressures high-stakes testing and accountability place on schools make it imperative to identify interventions that address learning deficits and maximize academic achievement.

In June 2004, in conjunction with the Council of Chief State School Officers' (CCSSO) 34th national conference on large-scale assessment, the Institute for the Advancement of Emerging Technologies in Education (IAETE) at AEL hosted a daylong symposium to discuss critical policy issues related to technology-supported assessments. Held in Boston, Massachusetts, the symposium was the last of three such forums sponsored by IAETE since 2002 to explore technology's potential contributions to assessment systems. Where earlier symposia gathered education practitioners and researchers, this event brought the issue to policy influencers and implementers. The unique perspectives and priorities of these three groups were represented in each discussion via the presenters and attendees. The format encouraged audience participation through focused discussion sessions and interaction with the panelists.

A review of the critical literature provides a brief history of systematic observation of classroom behaviors, long valued as an important data collection method in educational research. Milestones in systematic observation of classrooms are traced back to 1914 and the development and use of the Special Strategies Observation System (SSOS) through a series of four phases is described. AEL revisions to SSOS Demographic Information, the SSOS Eight-Minute Observation Page, QAIT Assessment Instrument and the Classroom Environment and Resources Checklist are described. Extensive appendices document the revisions and include instruments, checklists, and forms.

Grid computing allows large groups of computers (either in a lab, or remote and connected only by the Internet) to extend extra processing power to each individual computer to work on components of a complex request. Grid middleware, recognizing priorities set by systems administrators, allows the grid to identify and use this power without interfering with what the desktop or laptop user is doing. Though grid technology is in the early stages of development, past supercomputing projects for K-12 schools give a clear picture of what success can look like.

The purpose of this report is to provide a formative evaluation of the McKelvey Foundation Program to Distribute Scholarships to Entrepreneurial Rural Students in the States of Pennsylvania, New York, and West Virginia. This evaluation provides databased recommendations for making program adjustments to improve delivery of services and/or other suggestions for improving program efficiency and effectiveness. (Author)

The Extended School Services (ESS) program was established in 1990 as part of the Kentucky Education Reform Act. The program extends the school day, week, or year for students at risk of academic failure, providing them with additional instructional time to help them meet academic goals. An evaluation of ESS in 2001 utilized statewide surveys and site visits to 18 elementary, middle, and high schools. Findings indicated that ESS participation was fairly equal across schools, but varied at individual schools. Fewer females participated at the middle and secondary levels. Program participants were characterized by lower socioeconomic status. Generally, students were referred to ESS because of poor academic performance. Students' goals were heavily influenced by their teachers, yet they adopted the goals as their own. ESS classrooms engaged in student-led activities. Students received individualized instruction as needed and had the opportunity to have concepts not mastered retaught to them. All stakeholders agreed that the program helped students increase their academic achievement. Parents and students reported improved study skills and increased motivation to learn. Major program strengths included early targeting of students, dedicated staff, student transportation, collaboration between teachers and coordinators, flexible scheduling, low teacher-student ratios, and individualized instruction. Improvements could be made in areas of student transportation, staff development, expanded services in terms of hours and/or subjects, and a reduction of the student-teacher ratio, all of which require increased funding. Twelve recommendations are discussed. (TD)

This study examined differences at the classroom level between Kentucky schools with minimum versus large gaps in academic achievement between particular groups of students. Data were gathered via observations of 213 classrooms at 18 elementary, middle, and high schools. Although all the schools were identified as high-performing in terms of overall academic index scores, nine had minimum achievement gaps and nine had large gaps between socioeconomic or racial groups. Classroom time was used more efficiently and effectively in minimum-gap schools. Teachers in large-gap schools spent more time on administrative routines in their classrooms. Teachers in minimum-gap schools provided more minutes of instruction, more time for student-led activities, and a more appropriate pace. Textbooks and multi-racial materials were used more in minimum-gap schools. The climate in minimum-gap school classrooms was more cheerful, inviting, open, and risk-free, and had less distracting external noises and interruptions. Teachers in minimum-gap schools communicated high expectations to their students, conducted formal or informal assessments of their students, and also provided immediate and corrective feedback to students. The quality of instruction was higher in minimum-gap school classrooms, both overall and for many subscale items. Rural and small-town schools comprised seven of the nine minimum-gap schools and two of the nine large-gap schools. (Contains 29 references) (TD)

AEL's contract with the U.S. Department of Education includes work partnering with faith-based organizations in Kanawha County, West Virginia, to (1) build their capacity to better serve at-risk youth and (2) document what best helps such organizations to successfully impact youth and their families. One of the first faith-based organizations with which AEL became involved on an individual basis was the Helping Others Pursue Excellence (HOPE) Youth Development Movement. Work undertaken with the HOPE program during 2002 has served as a pilot test of the types of data collection methods and instruments needed to document the impact of AEL's involvement with faith-based organizations serving African American youth. This evaluation report of the process for partnering with a faith-based organization serves as documentation of the pilot test of the instruments and provides the baseline data for the HOPE program. The primary audiences for this report include AEL staff, U.S. Department of Education staff, and HOPE staff. Secondary audiences include staff of other faith-based organizations interested in promoting such partnerships within their communities. Appendixes include a description of HOPE programs, a completed evaluation standards checklist, interview protocols, the AEL Skills Inventory, and a satisfaction survey. (GCP)

A study examined rural students' academic aspirations and expectations, their perceptions of their parents' aspirations and expectations, and their parents' actual aspirations and expectations. Surveys were completed by 3,733 seventh grade-students in 54 schools in 17 West Virginia counties. Parent response rates were lower, with approximately two thirds of mothers and slightly less than half of fathers responding. Forty four of the schools were rural. Results indicated that rural parents expected and were expected by their children to play a large role in providing information about continued education. Parents placed a much higher value on the role of the guidance counselor than did students. Female students aspired to a bachelor's degree, and males aspired to an associate's degree. Students felt that their parents' goals exceeded their own and that both parents held these higher aspirations. Parents did report higher aspirations for their children than their children held, but the gap was greater than the students perceived. Both parents and students reported similar perceptions of students' academic effort, with at least half reporting effort equivalent to peers and a fourth professing greater effort. Parents reported little contact with schools about courses and grades needed to get into college. Parents and students had reasonably accurate expectations concerning college costs, but low-income parents were doubtful they could afford it. There was a disconnect between academic expectations and educational aspirations that could lead to disappointment and the failure to achieve those aspirations. (TD)

Targets of educational reform in the United States have included classroom teachers, students, and school structure. Increasingly, nonstructural aspects of schooling are being examined as avenues to educational improvement. The purpose of this study was to investigate differences among professional staff members' perceptions of being in a continuous mode of learning and improvement in low- and high-performing schools and in high-performing learning communities. Data were collected and analyzed from questionnaires sent to the faculty members of 45 low-performing schools in Alabama and 48 high-performing schools in Kentucky. Results show that in low-performing schools across both states, professional staff members identify the area of school/family/community connections as being most in need of learning and improvement, and that high-performing schools are not necessarily high-performing learning communities. Because staff members in high-performing schools always scored higher in questionnaire scaled responses than staff members in low-performing schools, it is concluded that measuring a faculty's commitment to continuous learning and improvement is one effective way to assess the reculturing of a school's professional staff. Recommendations include repeating this study with schools in other states, and doing longitudinal studies, among other designs. (RT)

This policy brief reviews the evolution of comprehensive school reform (CSR) and the development of CSR models, describes the AEL-CREP (Center for Research in Educational Policy) research project and its findings, and discusses policy implications. Over the past 2 decades, CSR has evolved from theory to pilot project to mandate to widespread implementation. Its evolution was catalyzed by reports, such as the 1983 report "A Nation at Risk." The AEL-CREP research project was undertaken to add to the body of empirical evidence on the effectiveness of CSR models. Twelve CSR schools were studied and compared with matching non-CSR control schools that shared certain characteristics. Data were collected annually. Findings showed that achievement gains became evident in the third year of implementation; that emerging differences in instructional practices seemed related to selected CSR models; and that different models evidenced different aspects of instruction, classroom practice, and teacher-student-knowledge relationships. This brief strongly recommends that school and policy leaders manage school and community expectations from the outset so that reforms are given sufficient time to produce positive changes, considering that student achievement gains were not evident until the third year of implementation. (Contains 16 references.) (RT)

The Extended School Services (ESS) program was established in 1990 in Kentucky. The program extends the school day, week, or year for students at risk of academic failure. All Kentucky school districts receive funding for ESS implementation. This paper reports on a comprehensive evaluation of the ESS program during the 2001-02 school year. Evaluation instruments consisted of statewide surveys of district and school ESS coordinators, and onsite visits to a sample of 18 schools with ESS programs. The surveys focused on community, school, and ESS descriptions; selection and retention; consolidated plan; children's perceptions; relationship to regular school programs; role of parents; and staffing and evaluation. Based on the findings from the surveys, the ESS program was viewed positively by district and school coordinators in terms of helping to address the needs of students at risk academically. Also, the coordinators agreed that ESS funds should remain a separate categorical fund. Further, the coordinators stated that staffing issues, professional development, and transportation were the most needed improvements. Additional findings are included in the report. Appended are eight graphs to supplement the findings from the surveys. (WFA)

The Extended School Services (ESS) program was established in 1990 as part of the Kentucky Education Reform Act. Designed specifically to address the needs of Kentuckys at-risk student population, ESS is an aggressive, proactive program for addressing academic problems before they become ingrained. This report summarizes findings from 24 site visits to selected schools across Kentucky that were implementing a variety of ESS programs. A total of 32 conclusions were generated from the evaluation, divided into nine topical areas: student demographics, adherence to intended goals, classroom instruction, student outcomes, program strengths, barriers to maximum success, program fidelity, patterns of implementation, and overall. Based on the findings and conclusions of this comprehensive evaluation of the statewide Kentucky Extended School Services Program, a number of specific recommendations are offered for staffs review and reflection. These 12 recommendations focus on transportation, professional development, communication and goal setting, and staffing. Nine appendixes contain evaluation checklists, surveys, questionnaires, and forms. (Contains 27 references and 17 tables.) (GCP)

AEL works with state educational entities to help schools become higher-performing learning communities. AEL's current partnership with Lincoln County (West Virginia) began about 6 months after the state board of education assumed administrative control of the county school system, citing major deficiencies in the system. AEL provided facilitative support for developing the community strategic plan that was required to regain local control. Six strategic planning meetings held at the county's four high schools were attended by 30-50 people from each community. The process was assessed via questionnaires and phone surveys of 79 people. Findings indicate that the process attracted many people besides direct employees of the school system. However, local political power brokers, poorer residents, and students were poorly represented. Most participants reported satisfaction with the process, but a sizeable minority felt it took longer than necessary. Many participants viewed citizen apathy as a major barrier to reform efforts. Local politics, including cronyism and a state senator promoting consolidation, was a major concern to residents eager for improvements. Residents also distrusted state-level institutions, a distrust solidly based in the history of the relationship between county residents and the state board of education. Geographic isolation of culturally different communities and consolidation efforts contributed to resentment and distrust in the county. While consolidation was viewed as a negative outcome of the state takeover, there was hope that an improved educational system would result. (TD)

A pilot version of a School Capacity Assessment (SCA) was developed in 2002 to assess the degree to which schools possess the potential to become high performing learning communities. The SCA was part of AELs School Capacity Development project. The pilot version of the SCA was intended to be administered to K-12 professional staff to assist them in determining how well positioned their schools are to begin the development of a higher performing learning community. The 99-item, 4-page instrument contains 8 subscales: Collective Teacher Efficacy, Deprivatized Practice, Program Coherence, Technical Resources, Equitable Practice, Differentiated Instruction, Expectations for Student Performance, and Time for Planning. The pilot SCA was completed by 427 respondents from 10 schools in a Virginia school district and 26 respondents from a West Virginia school district. Results suggest that the SCA holds potential for assessing school capacity for improvement. As was to be expected from the sample of relatively low performing schools chosen, item and subscale means were relatively low. The instrument overall was internally consistent in the pilot test, and correlations between the subscales were, in general, moderate to very strong. Recommendations are made for additional study. Three appendixes contain the SCA, descriptive statistics, and a checklist for applying standards. (Contains 13 tables and 76 references.) (SLD)

A faculty's commitment to continuous learning and improvement is a critical dimension in defining schools as high-performing learning communities. When planning an improvement effort, a school's staff needs a conceptual framework that outlines the dimensions of school improvement. The AEL Continuous School Improvement Questionnaire (CSIQ) is a self-report inventory that asks professional staff to rate their school on six major dimensions: learning culture; connections among school, family, and community; shared leadership; shared goals for learning; purposeful student assessment; and effective teaching. Extensive pilot and field testing have shown the CSIQ to be a reliable and valid measure of faculty commitment to continuous learning and improvement. This paper reports normative CSIQ data from 3,821 staff in 132 schools in Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia that took part in field testing. Within the sample was a subgroup of 11 schools identified as continuously improving or high-performing schools. These schools were labeled "Known" schools. Schools were categorized by grade level and by Johnson Code indicating rural/urban locale. CSIQ scores were highly reliable. School's grade-level had a slight to modest effect, with elementary schools and those containing elementary grades having higher total and subscale scores. CSIQ scores had no relationship to extent of rurality. Educators in "Known" schools almost always scored higher than their counterparts in schools of the same type. (Contains 15 statistical data tables.) (SV)

As part of its school improvement effort, AEL, a regional education laboratory, developed the Continuous School Improvement Questionnaire (AEL CSIQ). Staff from the AEL Quest schools program drafted a 65-item questionnaire to help measure and assess the efforts of the project team in their work with the 18 schools in the Quest network. These items embodied the six major concepts of the Quest school improvement program. After review and refinement, 42-item and 117-item versions of the scale were developed and combined for pilot testing. Pilot and field tests provided much information about the AEL CSIQ and its measurement. With data from more than 3,800 educators in 132 schools, the statistics generated have high stability and precision. The testing of the AEL CSIQ in the field fostered its development into an excellent and usable 6-item inventory. The CSIQ was reduced from 147 items with unequal numbers of items in subscales to 10 items in each subscale. The AEL CSIQ was found to be very sound technically. Internal consistency reliability was sound for all subscales, as was stability reliability. The instrument showed satisfactory concurrent validity with another school climate instrument. The items had face validity based on content, and the factor analysis provided strong support for the construct validity of the entire inventory as reflected by the subscales. (Contains 12 tables, 1 figure, and 5 references.) (SLD)

Youth services programs funded by the federal Workforce Investment Act of 1998 provide educational services, mentoring, work experience, job training, and support services to help youth meet educational or employment goals. This first-year evaluation of West Virginia's RESA I Workforce Investment Youth Services Program interviewed 7 staff members and surveyed 83 in-school and out-of-school youths and 11 employers. RESA I covers 11 predominantly rural counties in southern West Virginia. Findings indicate that in- and out-of-school youth and employers were satisfied with the program. Youth respondents reported that RESA I staff were knowledgeable, helpful, and respectful, and employers indicated that they would recommend the program to other employers and planned to participate next year. On the other hand, youth would have preferred more tutoring in specific content areas, assistance with job searches, preparation for postsecondary life, more work experiences, and better compensation. Employers sought an easier process for program involvement and reported that some youth needed further training before participation. RESA I staff were pleased with the program's progress and their cooperative organizational culture. They were less pleased with slow Job Service response and the large caseloads. Recommendations for program improvement are offered to RESA staff. (Contains 21 references and survey questionnaires.) (TD)

West Virginia received two grants from the U.S. Department of Education to encourage disadvantaged youth to have high expectations, stay in school, and take academically rigorous courses to prepare for college. A total of 17 counties were served by these grants. As part of the program, surveys were completed by 3,716 students in 54 middle and junior high schools to gather baseline data on seventh-grade students' and parents' aspirations for students' postsecondary education. Of the students surveyed, 1,218 were classified as nonrural and 2,498 as rural. Findings indicate that families of nonrural students had a greater propensity toward and history of postsecondary education. Nonrural students participated more in clubs, while rural students participated more in sports. Nonrural students seemed more confident of their academic abilities than rural students. Nonrural students more often indicated that a parent helped them with homework, while rural students more often indicated that a classmate or friend helped them. Rural students were more likely to get information related to postsecondary education from a principal or guidance counselor and to discuss college entrance requirements, indicating that rural students were making plans for postsecondary education. However, students often failed to follow through on these ambitions. (Contains 16 references, 10 tables, and 2 figures.) (TD)

The Institute for the Advancement of Emerging Technologies in Education (IAETE) at AEL recently explored the potential benefits and limitations of traditional print-based textbooks and many e-book alternatives. Having considered these media, IAETE created prototype interactive textbook pages that retain the salient aspects of print media while providing access to unlimited electronic resources. While the prototype appears to be a standard textbook, imperceptible digital watermarks embedded in the graphics act as convenient conduits to electronic access of dynamic content, assessments, applications, and communication tools. IAETE is exploring digital watermarking as an alternative to delivering electronic instructional media. This report covers the following topics: (1) traditional textbooks; (2) electronic books (e-books); (3) issues influencing e-book development; (4) alternatives for electronic publishing of textbooks, including handheld devices, customized printing, and Web-based delivery; (5) the interactive textbook; and usability study and group interview results. PowerPoint print-outs from a presentation on digital watermarking are attached. (Contains 21 references.) (MES)