The federal government's key summer nutrition programs for low-income children are the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Administered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the SFSP is an entitlement program funding public and private non-profit organizations to serve nutritious meals…

Noting that wages for child care workers are among the lowest in the U.S. labor force and that generally caregivers are offered few employee benefits, this paper summarizes proposals and programs in the 50 states and the District of Columbia to raise child care worker compensation. The paper classifies state-level initiatives into two categories:…

In the year 2000, the Alaska High School Graduation Qualifying Examination (HSGQE) was given for the first time. The HSGQE is currently scheduled to be a graduation requirement for all students graduating as of January 2002, but early results from the use of the HSGQE in the Anchorage school district raise serious questions about the use of the…

This annual report complies with the requirements of Tennessee's Public Education Governance Reform Act of 1984, which directs the State Board of Education and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission to prepare a report on: (1) the extent of duplication in elementary-secondary and postsecondary education in Tennessee; (2) the extent to which…

This report contains aggregate and disaggregated state-level results from administrations of North Carolina's computer skills tests (performance and multiple choice) in 2000-2001. The report also provides limited information about the performance of school districts and charter schools. Additional data are included in this report about the…

The Southern Regional Initiative on Child Care (established by the Southern Institute on Children and Families) is guided by the Southern Regional Task Force on Child Care including representatives from 16 southern states and the District of Columbia. The initial charge from the Task Force was to develop a southern regional action plan to improve…

This report describes initiatives and services of the Massachusetts Department of Education for academically advanced students. The first section summarizes the department's state initiatives implemented as a result of the state's Education Reform Act of 1993, such as grants to enhance district gifted and talented programs and Advanced Placement…

To ensure that educational tests do the least harm and bring the greatest good to the education of elementary and secondary school students, it is important that parents, teachers, educational administrators, and policy makers be actively involved in test construction and use. The purpose of this Statement is to provide a checklist of some…

Since fiscal year (FY) 1997, states have used funds from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant to supplement other funds in efforts to provide more child care assistance. This report provides an overview of the rules governing the use of TANF funds for child care. The report also describes how states used TANF funds to…

The Senate Appropriations Committee recently approved a $1.1 billion reduction in the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG), a decrease of almost two-thirds of funding. This program has provided a flexible source of funding that enables states to meet the needs of their most vulnerable populations, low- and moderate-income children, and people who…

This report reviews accomplishments of the first year of the 1999-2002 contract funding the Outreach and Technical Assistance Network (OTAN), an essential component in improvement of California's adult education program. Five chapters on Electronic Communications describe the OTAN web site and provide data on World Wide Web hits and hosts, web…

The Alabama Public Library Service (APLS) serves the information needs of Alabama public libraries. As a state agency, APLS is charged with improving library services throughout the state to ensure that all citizens have access to quality library and information services. The agency is responsible for receiving and administering federal and state…

This publication presents best practices to help states assess options for comprehensive tobacco control programs and to evaluate their local funding priorities. It draws on best practices determined by evidence-based analyses of excise tax-funded tobacco control programs in California and Massachusetts and by the Centers for Disease Control and…

This document provides information and data related to the provision of special education in Washington State. Baseline information is presented along with an update of the most current and complete annual data. Information includes: (1) the purpose, membership, goals, and activities of the Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC); (2) Office of…

Expanding upon ideas presented in the report, "Start Early, Finish Strong: How to Help Every Child Become a Reader," this collection highlights projects, proposals, and programs that help all children become good readers. Chapter 1 describes 18 federal initiatives and programs; and chapter 2 presents excerpts from 16 State of the State addresses…