Patricia Anderson

Closing the Gap between Rhetoric and Reality in Faculty Work and Reward.

Abstract A decade of rhetoric on reform and reconceptualization of the roles and responsibilities of facility would suggest that on looking inside schools, colleges, and departments of education, one would find a better fit with faculty work and rewards. The literature over the last decade, however, reveals less than inspiring findings related to institutional responsiveness to urgent needs for change. This article describes a study using focus groups to gain a better understanding of the persistent gap between what should exist with faculty work and reward, and what does exist. The investigation took place in a regional comprehensive university in the southeast. Participant conversations revealed that mixed messages about expectations for work, needs for faculty development, idiosyncratic evaluation criteria, a lack of clarity in the mission of SCDEs, and other factors have contributed to a lack of reform. Participants identified current issues and barriers to change, and provided new insights into some strategies for closing the rhetoric/reality gap.

Meeting the no Child Left behind Rules and Regulations: Building Essential Skills for Alternative Route Teachers

Abstract No Child Left Behind (NCLB) regulations mandate that alternative route teachers have a minimum of ten days of exposure to schools, students, and the educational system prior to their entry into schools. This regulation, along with increasing concerns about the current teacher shortage, has led one university to design and offer an on-line course designed to address the immediate needs of alternative route teachers. The design process, course content, and registration procedures are discussed.

An Examination of After School Care Programs in North Carolina Public Schools.

Educators have become increasingly concerned about the large number of children who must provide for their own care before and/or after school hours. The mounting evidence that at least some of these “latchkey” children are harmed by such circumstances has led many public school systems to develop After School Care Programs (ASCP). Because North Carolina has the nations highest percentage of mothers working outside of the home, efforts undertaken by this state are of particular significance. Each of the 141 public school systems in North Carolina was surveyed. Based on responses received from 138 of these systems, 48 ASCP were identified. Information is provided on location, population, operational policies, content, personnel, evaluation, and plans for future changes. A review of the literature and a discussion of pertinent issues are also provided.