Changing curriculum, shifting student populations, and technological and societal demands require that school staff remain actively and continuously involved in staff development programs; because of these issues and the new mandated programs, more stable teaching workforce, and numerous and varied programs in Michigan, the Michigan Department of…

This annual report reviews the role of the Alaska Day Care Assistance Program, which was established in 1976 and amended in 1977 to provide child care assistance to families with children under 10 years of age regardless of their eligibility to receive Aid to Families with Dependent Children. The report describes the financial support awarded to…

The purpose of this report is to inform New Jersey legislators, the governor, and other public officials about the status of child care in the state and to make recommendations that include government and private sector activities. An introductory section describes the structure of the New Jersey Child Care Advisory Council (CCAC) and lists the…

This report examines possible steps the State of Illinois might take to expand the availability of Medicaid support for services to persons with developmental disabilties. Stressed throughout are the importance of: (1) evaluating whether any given application of Medicaid funding is consistent with the State's goals for persons with developmental…

Intended for state legislators seeking recommendations for improving arts education in Minnesota elementary and secondary schools, this executive summary presents (1) an historical perspective of comprehensive arts planning grants authorized by Minnesota statutes between 1973 and 1984; (2) needs assessment results, including findings of the…

The Illinois Literacy Council's Long-Range Planning team interviewed more than 100 educators, business representatives, policy makers, and adult new readers to gather their thoughts about the state of literacy and how it might be improved. Their report raises 7 issues and presents 11 recommendations. The seven issues relate to the following: (1)…

This handbook has been prepared to assist administrators, curriculum specialists, and teachers in local school districts and boards of cooperative educational services (BOCES) in the state of New York in developing curriculum, but it could be used by local education agencies in any state. The introduction describes the role of the state and of…

This manual presents a set of guidelines for persons working at a state level to increase the capacity of the state to plan, manage and deliver child and family services. Part I discusses barriers to change, and outlines the skills and attributes of the capacity builder. Part II briefly describes the actual capacity building process, including…

Analysis of data from state programs providing financial assistance for needy persons and disability prevalence data led to recommendations such as expanding access to health care and quality early childhood care for at-risk children, promoting the use of behavioral health services, lowering eligibility standards, and increasing the use of Social…

This report summarizes the findings and recommendations of a Minnesota panel commissioned to find ways to: increase awareness of appropriate technology for persons with disabilities; provide access to appropriate technology-based products and services; and fund research and development in this field. The executive summary provides a definition of…

Documented are the results of a 1974 Idaho needs assessment study of statewide special education services for exceptional children which involved 22,020 school-aged handicapped children. The findings include field research related to (1) prevalence of exceptional children in Idaho school districts and communities; (2) services presently available,…

This paper reports a survey of 1,283 Michigan families of children with severe mental impairment, multiple impairments, or autism, concerning the state's cash subsidy program. Families reported that the subsidy amount was adequate. The greatest need was for sitters and respite care, followed by life planning, speech and physical therapy, and…

This report explores the efforts of the Colorado Department of Education in its Chapter 1 programs in 1994. Chapter 1 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act is the largest federally funded program designed to provide services to elementary and secondary school students. Chapter 1 provides financial assistance to meet the special educational…

In January 1993, Florida's Correctional Education School Authority (CESA) studied the vocational interests of 125 randomly selected female inmates at the 3 female state correctional facilities in Florida. After two additional informal studies, an interim oversight review was conducted to determine the following: whether CESA was in compliance with…

The Oregon component of a four-state project working towards the design of a staff development and school improvement support system is described. Information was gathered from various sources regarding the number and kinds of continued professional development activities engaged in by schools throughout the state. These data were fashioned into a…