In this article, we explain how overly prescriptive, rigid state statutory and regulatory policy frameworks regarding teacher evaluation, tenure and employment decisions outstrip the statistical reliability and validity of proposed measures of teaching effectiveness. We begin with a discussion of the emergence of highly prescriptive state…

Educational leaders have a substantial degree of control over students and generally have a tremendous influence on the decisions that they make. District administrators are already involved in comprehensive efforts to stem sexual harassment, teen violence and bullying; therefore, they may be well positioned to identify and address the problem of…

The prevalence of privileged communication statutes for counseling and the extent of knowledge concerning them are examined in this study. Information supplied by each of the 50 state attorneys general indicates that only four states--Indiana, Michigan, North Dakota, and Wisconsin--have laws specifically and directly authorizing privileged…

A 1998 court decision ruled that a recent Virginia law requiring official approval for state employees to put materials with "sexually explicit content" on the Internet was unconstitutional. However, the extent to which the First Amendment will protect academic freedom in cyberspace in this case and for other issues is not clear. (MSE)

An advisory committee, in response to a 1985 resolution by the Virginia General Assembly, presents this analysis and makes recommendations concerning state school bus safety. The report is divided into eight topics; six appendices comprise three-fourths of the study. "Origin of the Study" states requests to be investigated by the…