This publication presents results of a survey that sought to identify significant educational needs as perceived by school officials in the states of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. Data were gathered through questionnaires mailed to the school board chairman and superintendent of each local school district, as well as the…

At the heart of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) is the call for all students to be "proficient" in reading and mathematics by 2014. Yet the law expects each state to define proficiency as it sees fit and design its own tests. This study investigated three research questions related to this policy: (1) How consistent are various…

The results of one state's youth risk behavior survey are described here. The survey was administered to 2,726 students in grades 9 through 12 in 26 public schools. The school response rate was 65% and the student response rate was 87%. Results indicate that by the time youth enter the 9th grade, many have engaged in behaviors that put them at…

To determine what resources are available to community health nurses, a survey was conducted of 345 agencies in WICHE's 13 western state region (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming). Major findings were: (1) only two percent of responding agencies had a full-time…

Since many of the health problems experienced by young people are caused by preventable behaviors, such as alcohol abuse and unprotected sexual intercourse, it is important to know the extent of these behaviors among youth. The results of the 1993 Idaho Youth Risk Behavior Survey and 1992 Idaho School Health Education Survey are described in this…

In 1990, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) included a Trial State Assessment (TSA); for the first time in the NAEP's history, voluntary state-by-state assessments (37 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the Virgin Islands) were made. The sample was designed to represent the 8th grade public school population in a state…

In 1990, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) included a Trial State Assessment which, for the first time in the NAEP's history, made voluntary state-by-state assessments. This 1992 mathematics report marks the first attempt of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) to shift to standards-based reporting of National…

This Kids Count report examines statewide and county level trends in the well-being of Idaho's children. The statistical portrait is based on 15 indicators of well-being: (1) child poverty rate; (2) percent of single-parent families with children under 18; (3) infant mortality rate; (4) percent of low birthweight infants; (5) percent of mothers…