The Innovations in Education book series is published by the Office of Innovation and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education. The books highlight promising practices in putting the No Child Left Behind Act to work, expanding the pool of high-quality charter and magnet schools, and engaging parents.

TITLES BY SUBJECTS

The following titles are available free:

Charter Schools

Making Charter School Facilities More Affordable: State-driven Policy Approaches showcases charter school facility laws and practices that have been developed to tackle the facilities challenge in eight states and Washington, D.C. (Order #ED004508P)

K-8 Charter Schools Guide Closing the Achievement Gap looks at seven K-8 charter schools that are dispelling the myth that some students cannot achieve to high standards. These schools are closing the achievement gap through challenging curriculum, high expectations, and the proper support that all students need to succeed. (Order #ED003767P)

One Page Information Flyer PDF (118KB)

Charter High Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap shows how eight diverse schools are using innovative instructional approaches to close the achievement gap between the highest and the lowest performing students. (Order #ED002720P)

One Page Information Flyer PDF (110KB)

Charter Schools: Cesar Chavez and MATCH

Two charter schools featured in the Innovations in Education guides, Cesar Chavez (Pueblo, Colorado) and MATCH (Boston, MA), provide tutoring, parent support and more -- whatever it takes -- to help all of their mostly low-income students succeed with a rigorous curriculum.
Captioned version Real Player (27.6MB; 8 minutes, 41 seconds)

Supporting Charter School Excellence Through Quality Authorizing features eight charter authorizers that share a commitment to quality and remain focused on improving and expanding the education options in their area. The guide is designed to help policymakers at the state and national levels and to help current and potential authorizers replicate these successful models and practices. (Order #ED003636P)

One Page Information Flyer PDF (111KB)

Successful Charter Schools profiles the successes of eight charter schools around the country. (Out of Print)

Online Learning

Evaluating Online Learning: Challenges and Strategies for Success features seven evaluations of online learning programs or resources. The evaluations represent variety both in method of evaluation and in the program or resource that was examined. (Order #ED004344P)

One Page Information Flyer PDF (696KB)

Connecting Students to Advanced Courses Online highlights six providers of academic coursework by delivering advanced on line courses to students through technology. The primary audience is for district and schools decision-makers who are looking for ways to give their students greater access to advanced course work and see online courses as an enticing option. (Order #ED003948P)

One Page Information Flyer PDF (683KB)

Magnet Schools

Creating and Sustaining Successful K-8 Magnet Schools, provides some "lessons learned" for district and school decision-makers of how specialized programs can spark enthusiasm for learning and catalyze academic growth in students whose interest and aptitudes may not be fulfilled by their neighborhood schools. (Order #ED004210P)

One Page Information Flyer PDF (691KB)

Successful Magnet High Schools, exams eight magnet high schools, analyzing their common characteristics and profiles them as models of success. (Order #ED004444P)

One Page Information Flyer PDF (711KB)

Creating Successful Magnet Schools Programs serves as a guide for starting a magnet program and suggests how to improve a program and evaluate progress. (Out of Print)

Magnet Schools Video

When Hot Springs School District in Arkansas became an "all magnet schools" system, it went from being a district of flight to a district of choice. And math and reading scores have improved, with minority students showing the greatest gains.
Captioned version Real Player (24.5MB; 7 minutes, 42 seconds)

Teacher Certification

Alternative Routes to Teacher Certification looks at six programs that prepare people who already have content knowledge, such as midcareer professionals, liberal arts graduates, retired military personnel, and other college graduates, to teach. (Out of Print)

Parental Involvement

Engaging Parents in Education: Lessons From Five Parental Information And Resource Centers explains "how to" strategies that the Parent Information Resource Centers (PIRCs) use to improve or expand their parental involvement programs in public schools. (Order #ED003668P) (Out of Print)

One Page Information Flyer PDF (133KB)

Parent Involvement

Innovations in Education Parent Involvement Video Parents are becoming partners with their children's schools -- and parent leaders in those schools -- thanks in part to Parental Information and Resource Centers.
Captioned version Real Player (13.5MB; 4 minutes, 16 seconds)

Supplemental Educational Services (SES)

Creating Strong Supplemental Educational Services Programs shows how five school districts provided low-income children in schools in need of improvement with free tutoring and academic assistance. (Out of Print)

Supplemental Educational Services Video

Students in Toledo, Ohio, who need extra tutoring are getting it, thanks to supplemental services under NCLB. That's one reason the number of students reading proficiently in one school has risen significantly.
Captioned version Real Player (29.6MB; 9 minutes, 20 seconds)

School Leadership

Innovative Pathways to School Leadership provides examples of successful strategies to prepare candidates for school leadership. (Out of Print)

District School Choice Programs

Creating Strong District School Choice Programs offers real-life "lessons learned" in implementing No Child Left Behind's school choice provisions. (Out of Print)

School Choice Video

The Miami-Dade School District in Florida offers a range of public school choice options -- neighborhood schools, magnet schools, charter schools, satellite schools hosted by employers, and others. Visit a few of these schools.
Captioned version Real Player (29.6MB; 9 minutes, 20 seconds)

Using the Books

The information in these books is in the public domain, which mea ns that readers are free to use the content without copyright restriction. The books can be resources for educators, parents, elected officials, and community leaders.

• Mail Them! Send copies to educators, parents, or community leaders.
• Learn About Them! Invite expert speakers with firsthand experience to meetings, conferences, and seminars.
• Link to Them! Link to sections or full text on the Web.
• Publish Them! Reprint them, post them on a Web site, or excerpt sections.
• Email Them! Send the books or information about how to order them to your listservs.
• Quote Them! Share the success stories and advice in newspapers, magazines, or interviews.
• Order Them! Request copies in bulk for colleagues or conference distribution.
  Online at http://edpubs.ed.gov/
  Toll-Free at 1/877/4-EDPUBS
  By Mail at ED Pubs
  P.O. Box 1398
  Jessup, MD 20794-1398

For additional information, please contact the Office of Innovation and Improvement.