This report sheds some light on why some schools are better than others at helping students learn, noting that teachers make a difference. It suggests that school quality affects student learning through the training and talent of the teaching force, what goes on in the classrooms, and the overall culture and atmosphere of the school.

In recent years, growing awareness about how the physical environment affects human behavior has been integrated into a knowledge-base known as Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED). By conducting a CPTED analysis, school officials can pinpoint specific environmental changes that will foster desired behavior rather than inadvertently encouraging unwanted behavior. This report describes CPTED's key elements and describes how to conduct an analysis.

This website is a comprehensive resource for anyone interested in substance abuse and creating sustained positive change in our nation's communities. The CSAP Model Programs featured on this site have been tested in communities and schools across America, and proven to prevent or decrease substance abuse in its most vulnerable population—our children.

To engage immigrant adolescents in school, educators must provide them with avenues to explore and strengthen their ethnic identities and languages while developing their ability to study and work in this country. This report discusses 10 principles for developing effective teaching and learning contexts for immigrants adolescents and profiles one program that has been successful in promoting the academic success of its students by implementing these principles.

This list offers specific drug prevention strategies recommended by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Center for Substance Abuse Prevention has begun to formalize, synthesize, and extract lessons based on hard scientific evidence regarding the ability of of intervention programs to decrease substance abuse.

This report, jointly authored by the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice, highlights research evidence on the potential of after-school programs to increase the safety of children, reduce their risk-taking, and improve learning. Find out more about the evidence of success for after-school activities, key components of high-quality programs and effective program practices, and how communities are meeting their local needs for after-school activities.

This report was prepared in response to the President's directive to identify strategies and Department resources that can support fundamental change in low-performing schools.

This report describes eight successful schoolwide programs, including six elementary schools, a middle school, and a grade 7-12 secondary school. This booklet is designed to help schools plan, operate, and improve their schoolwide programs.

This report highlights ways to improve teacher quality. It was developed following a national search for models of excellence that address teacher recruitment, preparation, licensing, induction, professional development, accountability, and incentives.

This report presents accumulated knowledge and fresh ideas on school outreach strategies. With them, schools can reach out to all families and help involve them in their children's education.

This report identifies and describes successful strategies used by 20 local Title I programs that have overcome barriers to parent involvement. This publication suggests ways that schools, families, and communities can work together to build strong partnerships. Although the most appropriate strategy for a particular community will depend on local interests, needs, and resources, successful approaches to promoting family involvement in the education of their children share an emphasis on innovation and flexibility.

An overview of strategies that can enhance the contributions of paraprofessionals to school and classroom effectiveness. The report presents profiles of several innovative and effective programs that focus on the work of paraprofessionals and offer paraprofessionals work-related opportunities for advancement.

A collection of 16 tested ideas for improving teaching and learning which were developed by the Regional Education Laboratories. Each "tried and true" program, at a minimum, has an extensive research base, has been kept up-to-date, has clear evaluation data which support program effectiveness, and can be adapted to a variety of school and community settings.

Over the last several years, educational partnerships have proliferated across the country. Some have become vehicles for fundamental education reform. Others have delivered services to students and faculty to improve education or student outcomes, whether or not schools are attempting systemic changes. This document includes examples of educational and community needs assessments, approaches to project staffing, recruiting partners and volunteers, staff development, student support services, activities involved in school-to-work transition programs, and community involvement.

This excerpt from the National Assembly's Building Resiliency: What Works! relates a number of ways you can ensure that your youth program is positive

The American Institutes for Research conducted a study with the primary purpose of providing information that will help the development, implementation, maintenance and replication of programs for students at-risk.

This guide is meant to be a resource for teachers and school administrators interested in undertaking school-based reforms. It provides examples of promising reform strategies and lessons learned from a national study of school-based reform.

Conducted by Policy Studies Associates, the Uses of Time Study examined promising practices in the uses of time for teaching and learning. In each case study, innovations that alter the quantity or quality of educational time for students have profound implications for teachers' work lives.

Research-based principles of professional development are illustrated in this report, which profiles 12 promising projects for professional development in bilingual education.

Remarks from exemplary public and private school teachers on why teacher leadership is needed, what forms it can take, and what steps teachers can take to become effective leaders.