J. Schrag, as state special education administrator in Washington, answers questions about such topics as current trends in mental retardation, fiscal crises, potential impact of new federal policies, related services, the role of the state education agencies, and ways to solve high teacher attrition rates. (CL)

The paper reviews issues in the Wyatt versus Stickney court case concerning the constitutional right to treatment for institutionalized persons with mental retardation. Among topics considered are the role of the American Association of Mental Deficiency in the court proceedings, the original intent of the case as an employee action, and the…

This report describes how federal State Student Incentive Grant (SSIG) allocations have affected state expenditures on student grant programs, what state grant program directors believe would happen to their programs if SSIG funds were cut, and why members of the National Association of State Scholarship and Grant Programs (NASSGP) believe that…

This is a congressional oversight hearing on the vocational rehabilitation program in Pennsylvania. It looks at the present program in light of the Federal statutory requirements and legislative intent. Testimony includes statements, prepared statements, letters, supplemental materials, etc., from a state senator, a Representative in Congress, and…

Claims the Australian Literacy Benchmarks for Year 3 and Year 5 set unrealistic standards, are educationally unworkable, and represent an unacceptably imprecise and confusing set of statements and criteria. Compares the Literacy Benchmarks with the New South Wales English Language and Literacy Assessment (ELLA). Claims the Benchmarks represent a…

The author states that the National Institute of Education should not be the sole provider of educational research. He argues that educators can gain important knowledge from business and industry as well as from research generated at the federal and state levels. (Author/CT)

Presents various questions and answers on issues concerning the federal legislation known as the Act for Better Child Care. Issues addressed include child care program costs, national and state standards for quality child care programs, and child care staff compensation. (BB)

This report is one in a series of studies by the Children's Defense Fund examining state policies and practices in child care and early childhood education. It is based on comprehensive surveys conducted in all 50 states and the District of Columbia in 1991 and 1993 to examine Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) child care policies and…

In order to improve desegregation of the elementary schools, and the low achievement level of elementary schools with high concentrations of poor and minority students, the Massachusetts Board of Education placed a coordinated approach to improving urban schools first among its objectives. The following educational objectives were set for each…

Reviews the creation in 1933 of the Council of State Governments, which serves as an information resource for state officials and describes the current development of a national-state government information database and the creation of a state government research institute. (CLB)

Discusses the services that resource and referral agencies and early childhood programs in centers and family child care homes can provide to meet the health and developmental needs of young children. Describes the ways in which reimbursement can be obtained from Medicaid when the services are provided for eligible children and families. (BB)

This congressional report contains testimony given at an oversight hearing on the termination of the Community Services Administration (CSA) and the subsequent transition to the community services block grant program. Among those organizations and agencies represented at the hearing were the following: the National Community Action Agency; the…

Discusses new state child care provisions to be implemented as part of the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills Training Program (JOBS Program) for Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) parents under the welfare reform bill, the Family Support Act. (BB)

This document uses interviews with 18 practitioners as the basis for an examination of the barriers to and promise of strategies intended to build effective, comprehensive, community-based service initiatives for children and families in a deregulated policy environment. Four major barriers are identified: (1) structural/legal barriers, reflected…

Resting on the assertion that there is less criticism of the federal role in education in Australia than in the U.S., this paper attempts to identify the structures and practices associated with this less negative view and to determine if they are transferable to the U.S. The first section provides a contextual comparison for national education…