Although we ve entered the 21st century, too many children continue to fare poorly in our nation s public schools, particularly minority children from low-income communities. Until we are able to do a more successful job of educating children who have been placed at risk for educational failure, their communities and our society will fail to cultivate a substantial reservoir of human talent that will be greatly needed in the years ahead. Moreover, ongoing assessment and evaluation is conducted. Assessment initiatives serve to adequately discern a school s programmatic needs, to assure proper diagnoses of students current competency levels.
Evaluation serves to better understand underlying processes that explain obtained program effects.
The elementary school reform intervention consists of several specific initiatives. We have helped to establish peer-based academic activities for students such as cooperative and communal learning groups and have engaged families and communities through establishing parent action teams, parent resource rooms and incorporating community volunteers into the various interventions. On-going professional development for all instructional staff is provided, and enhanced organizational development is promoted through regular meetings with school administrators to facilitate establishment of an authentic community of learning and to provide support in the school change process. The TDES model is in its second year of implementation at two elementary sites. A third school was added in the fall of 2000 and a fourth in Spring 2001.