Aimed at federal policymakers, this monograph presents a discussion of the role of excellence in vocational education and the role of the government in achieving it. The report is organized into five chapters. In the first chapter, the dimensions of excellence are examined with a focus on values, the atmosphere of crisis engendered in part by a…

The anticipated "graying" of the American work force may result not only in the intensification of the severe economic and personal problems of members of society but also in eventual shortages of workers in critical areas. A growing demand for workers in the coming decades may lead to the need for incentives to encourage older people to…

The tenth and final volume of this study provides a short, crisp summary of its findings for educators at all levels. Important considerations are suggested for federal and state policymakers as they support schools in their change efforts, and for school people who are committed to making effective and long-lasting improvements in their…

H.R. 996 is a bill to strengthen the science and technology base of the United States by providing opportunities for talented young people to pursue postsecondary education in science, mathematics, and engineering. The bill establishes a Congressional Scholarship Program at the National Science Foundation to provide undergraduate 2-year and 4-year…

Results of a review of 34 contracts relating to bilingual education awarded by the Department of Education's Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Languages Affairs and the Office of Planning, Budget, and Evaluation are presented. The review analyzed awards made from 1982 to 1985 and focused on: the extent of and justification for contracts…

Agriculture and farming are the economic context for rural education. This is the second of two volumes of papers describing the impact of national agricultural policy on the poor. The nine articles in this volume (shot-titled below) analyze federal policy from the standpoint of the low-income farmer: (1) "Agricultural Price Supports,"…

Procedures for validating data reported by students and parents on an application for Basic Educational Opportunity Grants were developed in 1978 for the U.S. Office of Education (OE). Validation activities include: validation of flagged Student Eligibility Reports (SERs) for students whose schools are part of the Alternate Disbursement System;…

The National Council of La Raza's position on the reauthorization of Title I of the Higher Education Act is detailed in this paper, which was presented as testimony to the House Postsecondary Education Subcommittee. The paper begins by concurring with the assessment that, as long as Title I remains a largely untargeted program which serves…

This report summarizes some of the findings, issues, and recommendations that participants of a 1984 Wingspread conference felt would shape the future of international studies. Several issues were addressed in plenary sessions, panels, and small group discussions including ways in which the major organizations and agencies concerned with…

This paper uses research and propositions to argue that staff development funds provided under Chapter 1 of the Education Consolidation Improvement Act of 1981 be used to integrate understanding of the special needs and prospects of and for Chapter 1 students throughout a school. Rather than isolate staff development opportunities within a Chapter…

The advent of the technological revolution will affect both the world of work and the educative process. Predictions for high technology employment show high levels of growth in the 1980s, and most of these jobs will require specialized training. Dealing with the problem of job training, two possibilities emerge: the Job Training Partnership Act…

This paper examines the status of U.S. disability-related equal opportunity laws and identifies gaps in coverage, shortcomings and inconsistencies in interpretation and application, and deficiencies in enforcement. Problems with the scope of coverage result from: (1) laws that are not enforceable in federal courts against states, not co-extensive…

This report examines some of the barriers to black economic development in Baltimore (Maryland) and discusses the extent to which blacks have participated in or benefited from revitalization projects in the city's downtown area. Background information on black businesses in the United States in general and Baltimore in particular is provided.…

Research based on followup interviews with some "key actors" at the federal level about the most significant recent events in education identified five topics: the cutbacks in federal education spending, the deregulation and decentralization embodied in provisions of the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act (ECIA), proposed and de…

This issue summarizes study findings on how education agencies in California, Nevada, and Utah are responding to federal cutbacks, consolidation, and deregulation. Using the term "school improvement" to refer to a wide variety of activities and services, negative factors identified by the researchers include: elimination of many…