Argues that the present structure of federal programs for elementary and secondary education is unwieldy and does too little to promote access and quality. Several broad directions for reform are outlined, including coordination at the local school level, but the idea of major program consolidation is rejected. (Author/DB)

The Federal Government will spend an estimated $1.5 billion in fiscal year 1986 for the production and publication of statistical data. This estimate represents the expected obligations for statistical activities of over 70 agencies or departmental units reporting outlays of at least $500,000 for such activities in their budgets for any of fiscal…

School districts generally reduce taxes upon receiving federal and state aid. State-aided districts increase their expenditures to education only about 15 percent of the amount of the state aid, and reduce local tax levies by 85 percent. This substitution effect also accompanies federal aid to states. To meet this problem, Congress defines federal…

However defined, the quality of services under Chapter 1 of the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act is heavily dependent on the setting in which those services are delivered. Working definitions of the following aspects of program delivery are presented as a means of establishing evaluation criteria: (1) the resources applied to a local…

There have been numerous attempts over the past seven years to replace the federally-funded Work Incentive Program (WIN) with another type of work program. As a result of increased flexibility, decreased federal funds, and continuing debate about welfare reform, there is now considerable variability among states in the types of employment and…

The Chapter 1 program of the Educational Consolidation and Improvement Act would be made more efficient and effective by implementing the following recommendations: (1) improve the targeting of funds; (2) let good educational practice rather than accounting practice shape Chapter 1 programs; (3) establish systems of output accountability for…

This report contains two chapters addressing two topics: (1) the rates at which students initially enroll in postsecondary vocational education, accumulate credits, and complete a certificate or degree; and (2) the state allocation of federal funds to secondary and postsecondary levels of vocational education. The first chapter presents…

This document examines the following aspects of the federal administration of evaluation, program improvement, and technical assistance under Chapter 1 of the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act: (1) changes in each of the three areas since 1981 when Chapter 1 replaced Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act; (2) activities…

The 1996 welfare reform legislation replaced the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program with a new Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant. This new program has a fixed funding level that is not altered by inflation or economic cycles or caseload size. Individual states' shares are based on the amount they…

A shrinkage of one-half or more in available federal funds designated for human services is expected to occur in the next five years. Despite this outlook, federal funds are available for increases in human services, provided that such services are organized into related systems of services and are planned and managed as such. This essay on…

This study documents the ways in which Chapter 1 services are delivered across the nation at the local school district level. Data were collected by mail and telephone surveys of district and Chapter 1 administrators in 2,200 nationally representative school districts. The following topics are discussed: (1) profile of Chapter 1 districts; (2)…