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This report presents results of a study involving the School Renaissance program. The School Renaissance Learning package includes the Accelerated Reader program, which has been shown to improve students' reading achievement and reading attitudes. Four elementary schools were chosen for the study, which included two treatment schools (designated as model Renaissance schools) and two contrast schools. Student test scores served as input for an analysis-of-covariance (ANCOVA) data treatment design. Trained observers were also sent into the classrooms to measure the implementation of the Reading Renaissance program and certain aspects of the classroom and teacher-student interactions. In all comparisons involving standardized test scores in reading, language arts, and mathematics, the Renaissance schools' children outperformed the contrast schools' children. Other analytical results suggest that the Accelerated Reader produces the greatest gains with lower achieving students. One treatment school with a student body with 52 percent free/reduced-priced lunch eligible, had 97 percent of its students obtain a "passing" score on the 2002 Criterion-Referenced Competency Test, with nearly 75 percent scoring "exceeds expectation." The conclusion is that the Renaissance program was highly effective in raising the performance of these elementary students. Two appendices contain program-implementation checklists. (Contains 15 references and 10 tables.) (RT)

This research report includes articles on students, leadership, and technology related to the Georgia Psychoeducational Network (GPN), which serves students with severe emotional disturbances or behavior disorders. "The Relationship of Locus of Control of Reinforcement to Indicators of Student Growth in Academic, Behavioral, and Social Areas" (Patricia Hinely and Stephen Nowicki, Jr.) reports on a study examining the relationship between locus of control orientation, ego status, achievement, and developmental levels of 108 children in GPN programs. "Descriptive Examination of Students with Autism and the Services Available in the Georgia Psychoeducational Network, 1989-1990" (Robert A. Gordon and others) describes characteristics of 375 students with autism and the services provided to them. "Longitudinal Cost Study of Preschool Children with Severe Emotional Disabilities" (Barbara Ann Brown Geter) reports on a follow-up study of the cost of providing services over 11 years to 15 children with severe emotional disabilities identified as preschoolers. "Why Can't We Stay the Same? Or The Shift is On!: Paradigm Shifts and Proactive Leadership Strategies" (William W. Swan and Carvin L. Brown) discusses 10 proactive educational leadership strategies. "Enhancing Communication Through Computers in the Southwest Psychoeducational Program" (Richard Swenson) examines development of a computer system in a rural Georgia area. In "Converting from Pen and Paper to Computerized Records and Communication--A Challenging Task," Wayne Moffett describes hardware and software, training, and implementation of a regional computer system. (Most papers contain references.) (CR)

Successful salary and wage studies require the establishment of a study team, access to documentation, and the participation of school district personnel. Team leadership can be supplied by the personnel department or by the use of a consultant. If only consultants are employed, a steering committee should be established to furnish information to all personnel. The first phase of Part 1 of the suggested plan involves a review of the documentation and preparation for the subsequent studies; the second phase involves an analysis and rating of the positions and an assessment of function placement; the third phase involves the insertion of jobs into salary and wage schedules or into sections of a unified salary and wage schedule; and the fourth phase involves the classification of job descriptions. In the first phase of Part 2, the salary, wage, and classification data are gathered and examined; in the second, salary and wage schedules are developed; and in the third, jobs are inserted into salary and wage schedules or into sections of a unified salary and wage schedule. The first and second phases of Part 3 involve the development of a management plan; the second two involve the development of a method for salary compensation. One figure is included. (RG)

This collection of papers includes five articles on the education of students with emotional and/or behavioral disorders participating in the Georgia Psychoeducational Network Program (GPN). "Training Needs of Fully Certified BD Teachers in the Georgia Psychoeducational Network" (Robert J. Stansberry) found, in a survey of 203 certified teachers of students with Behavior Disorders (BD), that teachers expressed a need for training in social skills/affective education and strategies for dealing with job-related stress. "GPN Program Needs Assessments: Three Examples" (William W. Swan and others) describes the needs assessment process used with three GPN programs in terms of purpose, importance, strategic characteristics, and procedures. "The Training Needs of Parents of Students in Programs for Severe Emotional Disturbance, Behavior Disorders, and Preschool Handicapped" (Harry L. Dangel and Michael D. Powell) reports on a survey of parents of students with severe emotional disturbances and/or BD focusing on their child-rearing training needs. "An Initial Study To Describe Autistic Children in the Georgia Psychoeducational Network" (Robert A. Gordon and others) provides data on gender, race, age group, custody, age at onset of abnormality, and type and length of services provided. "Leaders' Views of Effective Leadership of GPN Programs" (William W. Swan and others) discusses a survey of 24 directors of GPN programs on aspects of their leadership. (Each article contains references.) (CR)

This research report contains seven papers on students with serious Emotional Disturbances (SED) and/or Severe Behavior Disorder (SBD) who participated in the Georgia Psychoeducational Network Program (GPN). "The 1982 Cohort of GPN Preschoolers--Where Are They in 1987-1988?" (Juanda Ponsell and others) reports the placement of 75 preschoolers with SED/SBD 5 years later. "A Five Year Follow-up of the 1981-1982 Cohort of Handicapped Preschoolers Served in the GPN" (William W. Swan and others) evaluates the placement of 169 preschoolers 5 years later. "Staff Development Needs of Beginning and Experienced Teachers of BD/SED Students--An Initial Study" (Judi Kelley) reports results of a questionnaire on 44 teachers' staff development needs. "Prescribed Medications for SED/SBD Children and Youth in 1987-1988" (Wayne Moffett and others) reports on a study of 764 students with SED/SBD who received prescribed medication. In "A Comparison of Teacher Perceptions of BD/SED Student Behaviors in Three Placements--A Pilot Study" (John T. Haggerty and Thomas H. Cope), a study evaluating teachers' perceptions of the behaviors of 43 boys with SED/SBD is reported. "Demographic Descriptors of GPN Students--1986-1987" (N. Wayne Moffett and William W. Swan) evaluates demographic data of 4209 students with SED/SBD. "The Dalton Emotional Severity Index--An Interim Report on Development" (George Andros) describes the history of the development of this measure. (Each paper contains references.) (CR)

This collection of six papers focuses on students with serious emotional disturbances and/or behavior disorders in the Georgia Psychoeducational Network Program. "A Five Year Longitudinal Study of Severely Emotionally Disturbed/Severely Behaviorally Disordered (SED/SBD) Preschool Students" (Juanda Ponsell and others) reports the different placement outcomes of 49 preschool students with SED/SBD after 5 years. The second paper, "Reintegration of Severely Emotionally Disturbed/Behaviorally Disordered Students--A Two Year Follow-Up" (William W. Swan and Robert T. Jacob), reports the placement outcomes for 300 students with SED/SBD after 2 years of program participation. "Overview, Research Consortium Project Studies" describes the Georgia Psychoeducational Network Research Consortium. "A Quantitative Study of Georgia Severely Emotionally Disturbed/Severely Behaviorally Disordered Students (1984-1985 and 1985-1986)" reports demographic and program data on over 9000 students with SED/SBD. "Further Characteristics of Georgia's Severely Emotionally Disturbed/Severely Behaviorally Disordered students: A Sample Survey, Research Consortium" presents data from a survey of 344 students with SED/SBD including IQ ranges, poverty incidence, and program contacts with families. "Personnel of the Georgia Psychoeducational Network (1984-1985), Research Consortium" analyzes qualifications of personnel employed by the Georgia Psychoeducational Network. Each paper contains references. (CR)

This report contains an overview of the General Psychoeducational Program Network and four research papers on the education of students with Serious Emotional Disturbances (SED). The first paper, "Academic Progress of SED students Served in the Georgia Psychoeducational Program Network" (Thomas H. Cope), reports on a study which found significant academic progress by 137 students with SED who participated in the Georgia Psychoeducational Program network. The second paper, "Provisionally Terminated SED Students in Georgia--Where Are They?" (William W. Swan and Robert T. Jacob), found that a relatively high number of the 382 students terminated from the program were placed in regular education. The third paper, "Longitudinal Follow-Up of Students Three to Five Years after Termination from Programs in the Georgia Psychoeducational Program Network" (N. Wayne Moffett and Georgia Moore), found that, of 56 students who had been terminated from SED services for 3 to 5 years, none had been placed in custody or placed in institutions. The final paper, "Update on Research in Progress" (Phillip H. Pickens and Patricia O. Higgins), briefly summarizes progress on additional research projects. (Each paper contains references.) (CR)