Under the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) and the Federal Direct Loan Program (FDLP), the government guarantees and makes consolidation loans to help borrowers manage their student loan debt. By combining loans into one and extending repayment, monthly repayments are reduced. Unlike other student loans, consolidation loans carry a…

This report offers information and advice to assist all levels of government in its work to establish evidence-based policies, programs, and practices across the life cycle of disasters. This report provides examples of effective community efforts with respect to people with disabilities, and evaluates many emergency preparedness, disaster relief,…

The objective of this report is to review studies that report language and literacy outcomes associated with preschool curriculum-based interventions. Results from studies reporting on interventions targeting preschool children from low-income families were included regardless of the specific type of program. Although the majority of preschool…

Describes mental health service needs in rural America and barriers to improving its quality and availability. Federal programs, especially the Office of Rural Health Policy, are described and policy recommendations for improving rural mental health care are presented. (DM)

This paper synthesizes available research regarding the residence patterns of refugees in the United States. Information is presented on both initial placement and secondary migration. The first section traces the evolution of U.S. policy and outcomes from 1945 to the start of the Indochinese resettlement program in 1975. The second section…

This paper offers proposals for streamlining and simplifying the federal student loan programs in light of legislative and budgetary changes in progress during the early part of the Clinton Administration. The recommendations are based on 35 proposals submitted by institutions, associations, guaranty agencies, secondary markets, lenders, and loan…

This report traces the historical development of federal housing policy that has promoted a 40% decline in substandard housing and a 20% increase in homeownership over the past 50 years. It presents emerging national and rural housing policy concerns: the proper role of federal, state, and local governments in the mortgage credit and insurance…

As required by Public Law 100-146, states must submit to the Administration on Developmental Disabilities data concerning services to persons with developmental disabilities. This paper reviews relevant literature to establish a theoretical framework, definitions, and suggestions for extent, scope, eligibility requirements, and measures of…

This monograph synthesizes information presented at a July 10, 1991, Congressional staff briefing on many dimensions of the child welfare service system and its reform. Summaries of the participants' statements at the briefing are presented and a reproduction of a background paper on child welfare: "Child Welfare: The Context for Reform"…

This paper analyzes the merits of proposals to encourage saving for college by permitting families to use funds accumulated in Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA's) to pay postsecondary education expenses. The paper argues that tax treatment of such expenditures might parallel that for expenditures of IRA's for retirement purposes--deferring tax…

The articles in this journal issue provide an overview of ways in which health services are presently delivered to children, youth, and pregnant women; the means by which these services are financed; and some of the major deficiencies in meeting the health needs of these groups. In the first article, the Center for the Future of Children presents…

This article summarizes the special issue's reports (EC 232 346-353) on federally sponsored research on special needs students, with emphasis on the relationship of policy to educational change. The summary is organized into the following categories: what has been learned?, what has not been learned?, and what do we need to know?. (DB)

This paper outlines the major issues to be considered, and the tasks to be undertaken, by the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance's Subcommittee on Need Analysis and Delivery System. In particular, the subcommittee's plans to address the following three areas are described: (1) opportunities for further simplification and…

Policymakers are considering ways of providing more opportunities for students and their parents to exercise choice in public education. This report provides background information on current public school choice programs and proposals, and an analysis of selected issues related to this topic. The first part of the paper presents background…

This article documents decreasing support for education research and introduces this special issue. The difficulties in obtaining research grants, getting schools to cooperate, maintaining treatment integrity, and communicating findings are noted. High-quality school-based research is encouraged. (DB)