Improving School Leadership: The Promise of Cohesive Leadership Systems

Describes Wallace grantees' work to create a cohesive leadership system of coordinated policies between states and districts and across state agencies, states' and districts' efforts to forge cohesive policies, and the impact on instructional leadership

The Effect of Legal and Hospital Policies on Physician Response to Prenatal Substance Exposure

Objectives : To determine the influence of a state's legal environment and a hospital's Prenatal Substance Exposure (PSE) protocol on physicians' propensity to respond when prenatal substance exposure is suspected. Methods : Using a sample of 1367 physicians from every state and the District of Columbia, we formulate a set of linear models to determine the impact of the legal environment and hospital protocol on physicians' response to PSE, the agreement between physicians' perceptions and actual state legal environments, and physicians' motivation to act when PSE is suspected. Results : Both protocol and legal environment showed to be significantly correlated with physicians' propensity to take action when PSE is suspected ( p < 0.05). Our analysis shows that physicians prefer a public health (patient-centered) approach to more punitive measures. Conclusions : Our results suggest a policy strategy focused first on enacting laws that would encourage a patient-centered approach, by developing and using hospital protocols to implement state policy, and then on educating physicians about the actual legal environment.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/45325/1/10995_2004_Article_470716.pd

Child-Care Quality Rating and Improvement Systems in Five Pioneer States: Implementation Issues and Lessons Learned

Based on interviews and a review of five states' quality rating and improvement systems, assesses the systems' components, implementation processes, challenges, and lessons learned about improving the quality of child care. Includes recommendations

How Would Programs Rate Under California's Proposed Quality Rating and Improvement System?: Evidence From Statewide and County Data on Early Care and Education Program Quality

Examines how the state's licensed early childcare and education providers would rate according to the proposed system based on ratio and group size, teaching and learning, family involvement, staff education and training, and program leadership

Moving to Outcomes: Approaches to Incorporating Child Assessments Into State Early Childhood Quality Rating and Improvement Systems

Analyzes state policy options for incorporating direct assessments of children into the design, implementation, and evaluation of quality rating and improvement systems and other quality improvement efforts to determine the impact on child outcomes

Prepared to Learn: The Nature and Quality of Early Care and Education for Preschool-Age Children in California

Based on surveys and observational data, analyzes the features of California's center-based early care and education programs, their quality in both classroom structure and process, and access by disadvantaged groups. Discusses policy implications