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The George Washington University's Urban Initiative Professional Development School (UI-PDS) partnership used interviews, surveys, focus groups, and observations to research its effectiveness in preparing urban educators. The research conducted with UI-PDS preservice teachers and first year graduates, indicates they were well equipped to meet the challenges of urban teaching. They plan and implement lessons relative to students' diverse backgrounds, interests, and skills while engage in student advocacy and collaboration. This research also attempted to unravel the components of the UI-PDS program that contributed to these outcomes. Identified components included daily teaching responsibilities, on-site support, collaborative practice, and participant's personal attributes.

Through case-writing pedagogy, an approach to case-method instruction, early intervention-early childhood leadership students examined interdisciplinary perspectives, reflected, and integrated new content. Students explored leadership theories and researched current issues and trends in early childhood mental health as they engaged in a collegial, reflective process. Furthermore, students identified issues or tensions from their work settings and developed problem-solving skills, including defining and reframing problems. The interdisciplinary leadership institute and the specific features of the case-writing pedagogy are described. Teaching outcomes are discussed, including course evaluation results and a descriptive case study. Changes in students' personal and professional beliefs; dispositions regarding reflective practice and mental health; and connections between theory, research, and practice are provided. Applications to other contexts are discussed.

Within recent years, federal legislation has required schools to develop and implement standardsbased accountability systems for the purposes of evaluating their performance. Although the implementation of accountability systems for K-12 programs is well underway, the design and implementation of such systems for Part C and Section 619 programs lag significantly behind. This article will provide a brief review of accountability-related laws and current efforts to design accountability systems for infants and young children with disabilities and will discuss the challenges inherent in the design of such systems for Part C and Section 619 programs. Finally, and most importantly, the article will address the implications of these accountability initiatives for personnel preparation programs within institutions of higher education.