The delivery of special education and related services to identified handicapped learners is often a complex and expensive task. Local education agencies (LEAs) are responsible for providing a free appropriate public education to those learners, but have available to them varied options for service delivery. When there are few handicapped learners of a particular category, such as with the lowincidence handicapped, or when there are limited resources, the LEA may decide to deliver services through a regional special education program (RSEP). The Virginia Department of Education (SEA) has encouraged LEAs to become involved in RSEPs because of their potential for providing quality programs at reduced costs to the low-incidence handicapped. By 1985-86, there were nine RSEPs formally recognized by the SEA involving 51 LEAs in the state. To date, no comprehensive study has been conducted regarding the status of RSEPs in Virginia. Such studies had been used in other states to guide policy formation and program planning. The lack of available descriptive data about RSEPs has made planning increasingly difficult for participants of RSEPs and for SEA officers. The author collected data along the dimensions of the four central characteristics of RSEP programs i.e., legal framework, organization, services, and financial factors, as were identified by Stephens (1979a). The data collection methods were also based on Stephens' RSEP studies in other states. The present author's methods included on-site visitations, investigations of SEA and RSEP files, RSEP surveys sent by mail to 168 RSEP participants and SEA officials, and interviews with about one-third of the participants. Results indicated that Virginia's RSEPs were cooperative education associations of voluntarily participating LEAs. Most participants agreed that there was a need for additional clarification of SEA Regulations regarding RSEPs. Organizational structures were very similar among the regional programs; services, staffing patterns, and service delivery systems were varied. Participants were satisfied with the quality of services offered but desired regional programs to offer additional services for certain handicapped groups which were not being served in RSEPs. Factors which participants noted that could be inhibiting RSEP growth in Virginia included: SEA regulations prohibiting RSEP building construction and insufficient finances from the SEA for RSEPs. Funding was mainly provided by state and local sources, but there was disagreement among RSEP participants and SEA officials regarding the adequacy of state funding, and state funding mechanisms for RSEPs. The author recommended that communications be increased between SEA officials and RSEP personnel for greater accountability and better planning capabilities. / Ed. D.

The New Horizons Project, a school/business partnership in Richmond, Virginia, was established in 1980 between the Richmond Public Schools and the Metropolitan Richmond Private Industry Council to prepare youth from economically disadvantaged homes to enter the world of work. An in-depth case history of the New Horizons Project was conducted to describe how it was developed and to identify the factors that became a part of its implementation, success, and demise. The study provides useful information to school systems which are interested in establishing similar partnerships. The population for the study consisted of representatives from the business/industry community, the Richmond-Public Schools, the New Horizons staff, and a Virginia Commonwealth University faculty member who had knowledge of the project. / Ed. D.

M.S.

A continuum of services model exists which reflects the least and most restrictive special education environments available to provide services to all handicapping conditions. Associated costs increase significantly as the special education student requires more structure and intense services to benefit from individualized instruction. Per student cost to local education agencies (LEAs) and program variables in the areas of social skills curriculum and parental involvement for students identified as seriously emotionally disturbed (SED) and served in (1) self-contained classrooms operated by LEAs; and (2) regional (separate day school) programs operated cooperatively by the LEAs in Virginia are examined in this study. Costs to the LEAs for self-contained instruction were determined by using the Larson Model (1985), as revised by Kienas (1986). In Virginia, costs to the LEAs for placement of SED students in the regional programs were determined by the tuition rate approved by the Virginia Department of Education. State reimbursements for placement of SED students in both environments were considered in final cost calculations. The existence of certain program components in the areas of social skills curriculum and parental involvement were examined by a survey developed and distributed to Special Education Directors in the two described environments. A study of special education placements was conducted in Montgomery County, Maryland in 1982 to compare the costs and characteristics of programs used by that school division for school-aged handicapped students. Montgomery County was concerned over the cost of private placements and wanted to determine if alternative programming should be explored. It was concluded that the regional day program was cost effective when compared to other more restrictive environments, i.e., more costly residential treatment programs. Additionally, that special education program variables were similar in both environments. Other special education finance studies have also concluded that special education costs vary considerably within a given category of handicapping condition and that this cost may not reflect the service levels within programs. LEA expenditures for SED programs and selected program variables in LEA self-contained and regional programs in six LEAs located in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia are described in this. study. The research question to be considered was: Are program administrators’ perceptions of program quality, as measured by the existence of certain social skills curriculum and parental involvement program components, related to LEA costs for self-contained and regional (separate day school) programs for seriously emotionally disturbed students? While findings indicated a slight difference in net expenditures in favor of regional programs, this difference may not be significant based on quality of cost data and consideration for placement in the least restrictive environment. Net expenditures are based on reimbursements to LEAs from the Virginia Department of Education for SED students placed in these two environments. Survey results indicate that regional program administrators perceive higher incidences of quality descriptors in their social skills curriculums and parental involvement programs than the LEA self-contained program administrators perceived in their programs. / Ed. D.

With serious skill shortages in the field of marketing expected during this time period, the increase in marketing opportunities will reinforce the importance of marketing education (U. S. Department of Labor, 1989). "Marketing education programs must be structured to match the diversity of marketing dealing with the principles, concepts, attitudes, and skills necessary to prepare students to work in retail, service, and other business environments." (National Marketing Education Curriculum Framework, 1987, p. 7). The attitudes counselors have toward marketing education can have a major impact on course enrollment and students' planning of schedules including a combination of both academic and vocational courses (Washburn & McEwen, 1989). To date no evidence was found in the literature that shows what high school counselors think about the overall marketing education program. The purpose of this study was to determine selected Virginia's secondary school counselors' perceptions towards Virginia's Marketing Education program. A mail survey was developed and distributed to 186 schools offering a Marketing Education program in Virginia. When completing Section 1 of the survey instrument, participants supplied information concerning selected demographic variables. Data obtained from Section 1 were used to determine if differences existed between these selected demographic variables and Virginia's secondary school counselors' attitudes toward Virginia's Marketing Education program. When completing Section 2, participants used a 5-item Likert-type scale to indicate their attitudes toward Virginia's Marketing Education program. When completing Section 3--Virginia's secondary school counselors' knowledge of Virginia's Marketing Education program--participants selected true, false, or don't know to indicate their knowledge of Virginia's Marketing Education program. Two hundred and eighty-five counselors in 62% of the schools offering a Marketing Education program in Virginia participated in the study. Research question 1 found that most of the counselors responding have a positive attitude toward Virginia's Marketing Education programs. Research question 2, seeking information on what secondary school counselors know about Marketing Education found that even though their attitudes may be positive, they are not knowledgeable about the Marketing Education program. Research question 3 concerning selected demographic variables in relation to counselors' attitudes toward and knowledge of Marketing Education found that very small differences exist between the selected demographic variables and Virginia's secondary school counselors' attitudes toward and knowledge of Virginia's Marketing Education program. Conclusions and discussion, considerations for the study, recommendations, and suggestions for future research were described. / Ed. D.

Public school systems have historically been responsible for the delivery of Adult BaSic Education programs. However, recent amendments to the Adult Education Act have allowed for administration of Adult Basic Education programs to be expanded throughout the public and private sector. This expansion has created competition among potential providers of Adult Basic Education, particularly public schools and community colleges, regarding who should have responsibility for delivery of services (Cross & McCartan, 1984). Data available from the North Carolina Department of Community Colleges and the Virginia Department of Education revealed significantly higher participation rates of enrollees in Adult Basic Education in North Carolina than in Virginia. In North Carolina, delivery of programs is the responsibility of community colleges, whereas in Virginia the primary delivery system is the public school divisions within the state. The specific purpose of this study was to ascertain why there are more enrollees in Adult Basic Education programs administered through community colleges than in Adult Basic Education programs administered through the public school systems. This purpose was achieved by conducting case studies of ABE programs in four sites, two in North Carolina and two in Virginia; the informants in each site consisted of the local ABE administrator, ABE faculty. and ABE students. / Ed. D.

This dissertation recounts the years of struggle, frustration, failure and success that blacks in Henrico county, Virginia, confronted in acquiring an education. Before the establishment of free universal public schooling in Virginia in 1870, there was strong public opinion against the schooling of blacks. After the outbreak of the Civil War, various missionaries and philanthropic agencies strove to aid blacks; and the creation of the Freedmen's Bureau in 1865 brought an overall renewal of education for blacks. The Freedmen's Bureau aided in the construction of school buildings, and the philanthropic agencies supported teachers for the established schoolhouses. The Freedmen's Bureau ceased operation in Virginia in 1871; but by then, Virginia's public school system had been put into operation. / Ed. D.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of "An Achievable Dream" (AAD), a program developed for at risk elementary students in Newport News, Virginia, in improving academic achievenlent, self concept, and school attendance. One hundred rising fourth grade students were identified in 1992 to participate in the pilot year of this program. Eighty-four students completed the entire year and were included in this study. A review of effective programs currently operating throughout the country examined other programs with similar goals. A case study detailed the history of the program, the adaptations made since the program's inception, and a summary of baseline data on the students. A program evaluation validated the structure of AAD, assessed the impact of AAD as it related to achieving the stated goals, and served as the foundation for a decision model for program continuation. Data was obtained through individual interviews, a review of written program materials, attendance records, and from individual student scores on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) reading comprehension subtest, the Degrees of Reading Power (DRP), and the Piers-Harris Children's Self Concept Scale (PHCSCS). All AAD program components were validated except student selection procedures. Many students were selected for inclusion into the program who did not fit the criteria for selection. Results of the evaluation showed little change in school attendance patterns and a decline in reading achievement percentile scores on both the ITBS and the DRP. Scores on the PHCSCS indicated that the majority of the students had an average to above average self concept. The decision model for program continuation included recommendations for consideration in program continuation. / Ed. D.

Curriculum innovations, such as Tech Prep, provide practitioners an avenue to change expectations, attitudes, teaching styles, and organizational structure. However, the benefits of educational innovations are not fully realized until those practitioners, such as administrators, academic teachers, vocational teachers, and guidance counselors, adopt and implement change in the classroom. The purpose of this study was to determine the concerns of Tech Prep practitioners at the secondary level in the state of Virginia as measured by the Concerns Based Adoption Model (CBAM). The population for this study was 322 individuals consisting of administrators, academic teachers, vocational teachers and guidance counselors involved in implementation of Tech Prep programs for two years or longer. Based on the findings of this study the following conclusions are presented. Based on the theory of the CBAM and the mean scores of the Stages of Concern, indications are these practitioners are becoming experienced users of the Tech Prep concept. The two highest SoC mean scores for the four groups were either Collaboration or Consequence Stage. It was concluded that staff development should relate to strategies necessary to increase student outcomes and cooperation and coordination of others. Practitioners involved with Tech Prep have passed the self-concerns (Awareness, Informational, and Personal Stages) and task-concerns (Management). The Stages of Concern for all groups evolved around impact-concerns (Consequence, Collaboration, and Refocusing Stages). It was concluded that the level of involvement by administrators, academic teachers, and vocational teachers during implementation of Tech Prep is related to the Stages of Concern. There was not a significant relationship between the Stages of Concern and level of involvement for counselors. Selected recommendations drawn from the findings and conclusions are: • Attention should continue to focus on concerns, attitudes and expectations of practitioners as they proceed with the continuation of Tech Prep in Virginia. • This study should be replicated with larger sample sizes and questionnaires submitted at the beginning of the innovation adoption and at designated periods after the implementation process. Such longitudinal studies may determine linkage between time, staff development activities, integration of vocational and academic studies, and the SoC of practitioners. • Focus by teacher educators, the Virginia Department of Education staff, vocational-technical and academic personnel, should concentrate on collaborative techniques and student competencies. It is recommended that policy be developed to include extensive professional development and increased dialogue among practitioners as they implement Tech Prep programs. / Ed. D.

Virginia, like many states and school districts has enacted beginning teacher induction programs which include the assignment of an experienced teacher or mentor to assist each beginning teacher. Unique to Virginia programs is that while support for program development has been provided by the Virginia Department of Education, specific guidelines on mentoring activities have not been mandated. Instead, local school districts have had the autonomy to make their own decisions regarding the exact structure of the program. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mentoring activities and perceived benefits and concerns related to mentoring as reported by mentees and mentors in ten Virginia mentoring programs. Three hundred sixty-six mentor/mentee dyads representing K-12 general and special education teachers in ten school divisions throughout Virginia were contacted. Of them, 157 mentees and 198 mentors participated in the study. using survey research methods participants were asked on a 23-item questionnaire to describe activities, benefits and concerns related to mentoring and their mentor programs. Data collected through the written survey questions were analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative methods. The results indicated that most mentees and mentors thought the mentoring program was beneficial. Many activities came about as a result of the mentoring relationship. These include collaborating and conferring about lesson plans, materials, classroom management, instructional techniques, and discussion of curriculum. The program provided a collegial relationship giving mentees emotional support and encouragement. In addition, mentees felt they learned new teaching techniques and strategies, better Classroom management, and how to pace instruction more effectively. Mentors liked the recognition they received from being selected as a mentor and enjoyed the sharing of professional information with mentees. The major concerns expressed by both mentees and mentors were a lack of release time to observe, have conferences or collaborate and the lack of specific role definitions for the job as mentor. Given these concerns, it makes sense that school divisions ought to give more direction to defining the role of a mentor and insure release time to give them more opportunities for professional development. / Ed. D.