The "IDRA Newsletter" serves as a vehicle for communication with educators, school board members, decision-makers, parents, and the general public concerning the educational needs of all children across the United States. The focus of this issue is "The Census Effect." Contents include: (1) The 2020 Census is Here -- Schools…

Becoming a teacher takes years of higher education and hard work. The financial and personal costs can be great. The good news is that there are more chances than ever for teachers-in-training and new teachers to reduce their financial burden. There are two main ways students can get financial aid: with loans and with grants. Many students take on…

State testing programs today are more extensive than ever, and their results are required to serve more purposes and high-stakes decisions than one might have imagined. Assessment results are used to hold schools, districts, and states accountable for student performance and to help guide a multitude of important decisions. This report describes…

The issue of attracting more young people to choose careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) has become critical for the United States. Recent studies by businesses, associations, and education have all agreed that the United States' performance in the STEM disciplines have placed the nation in grave risk of…

The "2013 State Preschool Yearbook" is the newest edition of our annual report profiling state-funded prekindergarten programs in the United States. This latest "Yearbook" presents data on state-funded prekindergarten during the 2012-2013 school year as well as documenting a decade of progress since the first…

This brief is intended to provide State Education Agency (SEA) and Local Education Agency (LEA) educators with a brief overview of key components of GraduateFIRST, a Georgia program targeting issues impacting school completion for students with disabilities. Georgia's GraduateFIRST program has redefined the state's approach to raising graduation…

Intended to provide teachers with an analysis of contemporary United States agriculture, this analysis begins with an overview of the farm community focusing on the income distinction between wealthy commercial farmers and other farmers. The cause of farm unrest is that earnings are too low relative to expenses. The problems of declining farm…

The Guide to U.S. Department of Education Programs and Resources, commonly referred to as the Guide to ED Programs, provides an overview of all Department of Education programs authorized and funded under federal law. It also includes information on competitions administered under these programs as well as on the laboratories, centers, and other…

This paper provides an overview of U.S. Department of Education programs authorized and funded under federal law. It includes information as well on the laboratories, centers, and other facilities funded by the Department that provide important resources for education. Readers will find funding information, contact information, and a web site for…

Farming and food related businesses generate one out of five jobs in the private economy and account for about 20 percent of the gross national product. These instructional materials, designed for use in secondary schools, encourage students to explore the significance of farming to the U.S. economy and the major problems confronting U.S.…

This paper provides an overview of U.S. Department of Education programs authorized and funded under federal law. It includes information as well on the laboratories, centers, and other facilities funded by the Department that provide important resources for education. Each entry, which gives a brief overview of a program or resource, is listed…

This booklet is part of a series designed to help students take and defend a position on public issues. This unit on the New Deal era raises the following issues: (1) How responsible should the government be for the economic well being of citizens? To what extent should this responsibility outweigh traditional ideas of property rights? (2) What…

Sources of research funds for undergraduate faculty and ways to secure the funds are discussed. Information on three federal grant programs is provided, along with advice for obtaining funds from foundations and corporations, including techniques for gathering information on prospective funding sources. Suggestions on the process of preparing…

Military cutbacks by the Department of Defense will cause thousands of enlisted personnel and civilian workers in defense industries to lose their jobs and look toward other employment opportunities. To help ease this conversion for some displaced employees, the Department of Defense is sponsoring a program to help former servicepeople earn…

Characterizes federal support for education as a political process involving Congress, the president, special interest groups, program administrators, and the general public. Examines policy shifts from bipartisan congressional leadership in the late 1940s through John Kennedy's advocacy of federal aid and Ronald Reagan's endorsement of state and…